NEW DELHI: The Wrestling Federation of India on Wednesday said it has got assurances from the Central government that “quarantined” Chinese wrestlers will not be denied entry into the country for the upcoming Asian Championship despite fears surrounding the deadly coronavirus.
The Indian government has suspended the e-visa facility for the Chinese travellers, fearing the spread of the virus which has claimed over 500 lives so far, PTI reports.
The WFI, though, is expecting a 40-strong contingent from China at the Championship, scheduled to be held here from February 18 to 23, after receiving assurances from the external affairs ministry.
The WFI has also received a letter from the United World Wrestling, the world governing body, warning them that no country should be denied participation. While the panic around the coronavirus remains top of mind, though not stated in so many words, this diktat in all likelihood is separately directed at the Indian establishment not to put a spoke in the works as far as issuing visas for athletes from Pakistan is concerned.
WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said they have requested the external affairs ministry to ensure that visas are granted to wrestlers from Pakistan as well.
“I met the foreign minister today [Wednesday] and I’m extremely hopeful there will be no problem,” PTI quotesd Singh as having said at a media briefing. “There is possibility of wrestlers from both the countries competing. He has assured me that there will be no problem. After the discussion I don’t think there is going to be any problem.”
Last year, the International Olympic Committee had suspended all Indian applications to host future events after two Pakistani shooters were denied visas to compete in the capital.
“UWW has also written to us stating that no visa problem should be there as this is a mandatory tournament.” Singh further said. “When we are allotted a tournament, we have to give them the assurance that no country will be denied participation by us.
“And if we do something voluntarily then it is an Olympic year and Asian qualifiers are also there. So we don’t want to take any risk that will hurt our wrestlers in an Olympic year. We have written to the ministry of external affairs and attached the copy of the letter.”
The Chinese Wrestling Association has written to the WFI, requesting them to help out with the participation of their wrestlers in the championship.
“China’s federation sent us a request letter saying that 40 wrestlers have been checked and none of them have been tested positive for the virus,” he said.
The WFI president though made it clear that the Chinese wrestlers will have to go through the protocol set for the virus detection.
“All the wrestlers who will participate will go through all the precautionary measures,” he said.
He also asserted that no wrestler can refuse to fight with their Chinese rivals, if the Chinese are found to be unaffected by the virus.
“This problem is only in one or two cities in China and not the entire country and if the wrestlers go through all the tests in China and then again clear the tests by our government then no player can say she or he has come from here and we won’t fight with them.”
