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India defers trials for wrestling world meet
The executive council meeting of UWW was scheduled on Friday but withdrawals by three major participating countries in view of Covid-19 possibly forced a deferment. Cuba has followed USA and Japan in pulling out of the world championships.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has delayed its decision on trials for the World Wrestling Championship in Serbia from December 12-20. This was after the executive committee meeting of United World Wrestling (UWW) was rescheduled to November 12,
“We too have delayed our decision about the selection trials of the Indian team for the World Championship,” WFI assistant-secretary Vinod Tomar said on Friday. “Trials of the Indian teams would be done only after UWW decides about the December event.”
Tomar said WFI has already sent a tentative list of wrestlers for the meet “as the last date of entry was Thursday (November 5).”
India’s top men and women wrestlers in Olympic weight categories are attending national camps in Sonepat and Lucknow. If UWW confirms the world event, WFI will add wrestlers from non-Olympic weight categories to the camps.
The executive council meeting of UWW was scheduled on Friday but withdrawals by three major participating countries in view of Covid-19 possibly forced a deferment. Cuba has followed USA and Japan in pulling out of the world championships.
“It is better for Cuban Gladiators to not move to Europe in the current condition,” Cuban daily Plenglish quoted Cuba Wrestling Federation president Luis de la Portilla as saying.
The world body has already announced the cancellation of the 2020 Junior World Championships, which was also scheduled in Belgrade in December.
In another development, WFI could hold the senior national championship from December 18 to 20 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. “Before deciding about the national championship, WFI should evaluate the situation as the fear of Covid-19 is still looming large and we wouldn’t take any risk,” said a wrestling official requesting anonymity given the sensitive nature of the issue.
