Due to their late arrival in Bishkek, wrestlers Deepak Punia and Sujeet Kalkal are not permitted to compete in the Asia Qualifiers

New Delhi: The two top wrestlers in India, Deepak Punia and Sujeet Kalkal, were not allowed to compete in the continental competition, which dealt a severe blow to the country’s wrestling delegation at the Asia Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek. The grappling team’s inability to arrive in time for the weigh-in in the capital of Kyrgyzstan was caused by a delayed aircraft from Dubai.

The wrestlers were stuck at the Dubai airport due to unfavorable weather conditions in the city. Despite their efforts to convince Bishkek of their innocence, the organizers were uninterested in granting them an exception. According to reports, Dubai had continuous rain and floods, making it impossible for them to arrive on time for the required weigh-in. The organizers refused to permit late weigh-ins, even though the Indian coaches requested it.

Punia, an 86-kg competitor, was on the verge of taking home a medal from the Olympics in Tokyo. Sujeet (65 kg) accompanied him as they traveled to Bishkek to compete in the Asia Olympic qualifiers, the second-to-last competition leading up to the Paris Olympics. The pair had a difficult time at the crowded airport, since most of the planes departing Dubai were either delayed or canceled due to the floods.