The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), considering the current situation, has decided to cancel the trials for the Individual World scheduled from December 12 to 18 in Belgrade, Serbia. Instead, it is likely to send the same contingent as of the Asian Championship 2020. “We have decided that there will be no trials for the world cup. The wrestlers who participated at the Asian Championship will be sent to Serbia. But it is a tentative list,” Vinod Tomar, WFI Assistant Secretary said. “If any wrestler pulls out for varied reasons, we have backup ready too”.
United World Wrestling (UWW) had substituted the world championship with the world cup after failing to fulfil the criteria it had set in June during an executive meeting.
According to it, at least 8 of 10 of the top nations from the 2019 World Championships and 70% of total athletes were required to participate in 202. However, with COVID-19 cases on rise and Cuba, Japan and the USA withdrawing, UWW had to cancel the worlds.
The World Cup will feature all the 10 weight classes from Greco-Roman, Freestyle and Women’s wrestling. The total prize money is 300,000 Swiss Francs and will be awarded to the top three players in each class.
Furthermore, just like the worlds, each country will be eligible to pitch one wrestler per category.
India will be sending all of its Tokyo Olympic qualified wrestlers – Ravi Dahiya (57kg), Deepak Punia (86kg) and Vinesh Phogat (53kg) for the event.
Bajrang Punia, who already confirmed the Olympic berth in 65kg, would, however, skip the world cup. He will travelling to the USA for a competition and training camp in Michigan.
WFI cancels women’s camp
Meanwhile, WFI has cancelled the women’s national camp in Lucknow after top wrestlers of the country refused the mandatory 14-day quarantine on their return from a week’s Diwali break.
