We did not ask for exemption from trials, just asked for time to prepare: Wrestlers

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New Delhi, June 24: Facing opposition from fellow wrestlers for receiving an exemption from Asian Games trials, the protesting wrestlers on Saturday denied demanding such favour from IOA and said they will quit wrestling if it is proved.

London Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt on Friday questioned if these grapplers were agitating to get such favours and exhorted the junior wrestlers, their coaches and parents to raise voice against this injustice.

"We did not ask for an exemption from trials, just asked for time to prepare," said Sakshi after going live on social media. 'Yogeshwar Dutt intimidated female wrestlers during oversight committee probe,' tweets Vinesh Phogat

"If you had problems with the one-bout trial, you should have gone to the sports minister. But you chose to spread poison through social media," Bajrang said. "We are ready to quit wrestling if it is proved that we asked for an exemption. We never wrote any letter for exemption."

It was reported that senior grapplers like Olympic medallist Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia are unhappy with the exemption from trials of the wrestlers who are the face of the wrestlers' protest.

It was first reported by PTI on Thursday that six protesting wrestlers - the trio, Bajrang's wife Sangeeta Phogat, Sakshi's husband Satyawart Kadian and Jitender Kinha - will have to win just one bout against the winner of stage-one trials to be on the Indian team for the Asian Games and World Championships.

The wrestlers also vowed to continue their fight. "We will continue our fight till Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is punished, we are waiting for the chargesheet," Vinesh said.

Sakshi, Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat have been demanding arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing women wrestlers