Facing opposition from fellow grapplers for receiving exemption from Asian Games trials, the protesting wrestlers on Saturday denied demanding such a favour from the IOA ad-hoc panel and said they would quit wrestling if it was proven.
Yogeshwar Dutt questions wrestlers motives
London Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt had on Friday questioned the ad-hoc panel's decision and asked if these wrestlers were agitating against the outgoing WFI chief to get such favours.
Dutt posted a Twitter video on Friday, questioning the logic and criteria behind the decision.
He had also exhorted the junior wrestlers, their coaches and parents to raise their voices against this injustice.
After Dutt's tweet, Vinesh had slammed Dutt, saying that the wrestling world will remember him for being a spineless lackey of Brij Bhushan.
Wrestlers respond by threatening to quit
Dutt had also levelled some other allegations and the trio of Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat addressed their followers on social media, responding to the comments made by the former wrestler and now a BJP leader.
"We did not ask for an exemption from trials, just asked for time to prepare," said Sakshi Malik.
"We didn't take away anybody's rights. We had just asked for time as we have been away from wrestling for six months, but you are spreading wrong information," Malik, the 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist, said.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang said they will quit wrestling if it is proved that they had asked for just one-bout trial for the Asian Games and World Championships.
"If you had problems about one-trial bout, you should have approached the sports minister and asked on what basis they are taking the trials. But you chose to spread poison through social media," he said.
"We are ready to quit wrestling if it is proved that we asked for exemption. We never wrote any letter for exemption. If our elders feel that we have done anything wrong. We will quit."
Sakshi asked Dutt to refrain from spreading the wrong message that the six wrestlers "just wanted to win and participate in one trial."
"In our lives, we have never gone without any trials and never ever deprived anyone," she said.
