Sports Ministry approves Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia's abroad training proposals

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia have had their proposals to train abroad approved by the Sports Ministry. The duo had sought time till August 10 to prepare for the Asian Games and World Championship trials.

Phogat and Punia, both part of the protest against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, will leave for Kyrgyzstan and Hungary respectively in the first week of July.

The decision to train abroad indicates they will not be hitting the streets to continue their agitation, as they had announced on social media recently.

While Punia will head to Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan for 36 days, Phogat will first travel to Bishkek for a week and then to Tata, Hungary for 18 days.

Vinesh will be accompanied by physiotherapist Ashwini Jeevan Patil, coach Sudesh and sparring partner Sangeeta Phogat, who is Punia’s wife and was also involved in the protest.

Punia will have coach Sujeet Maan, physiotherapist Anuj Gupta, sparring partner Jitender Kinha and strength and conditioning expert Kaazi Hasan in his entourage.

The IOA-appointed ad-hoc panel, overseeing the organisation, had reduced the upcoming selections trials to a one-bout competition for the six protesting wrestlers, who will be required to beat just the winners of the trials to seal their places in the Indian teams for the two prestigious events.

The decision by the IOA panel had evoked strong criticism from the wrestling fraternity.

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