New Delhi: The selection committee, nominated to oversee Judo selections, will conduct final trials to select the Judokas to represent the country in the ensuing Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The trials for women athletes would be held here on May 23 and 24 while the trials for men Judokas would be held in Patiala on May 25 and 26.
Besides the six weight categories in which the now-derecognised Judo Federation of India had sent the names of four athletes each to the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee on March 18 this year, trials would be held in the women’s 78kg class as well since there is an indication that the organisers may accommodate India’s request to allow an extra competitor.
In the wake of the derecognition of the Judo Federation of India on April 22, an expert committee was constituted – including Olympian Judokas Cawas Billimoria, Sandeep Byala, and Sunith Thakur as well as Judo masters Arun Dwivedi and Yogesh K Dhadve – by the Sports Authority of India to oversee the trials and the selection process and suggest changes.
The selection committee does not have the choice of expanding the list of probables for each weight category from the four names already sent by the now-derecognised Judo Federation of India. The panel attempted through the Indian Olympic Association to make some changes, but the Organising Committee in Birmingham declined to allow any adjustments.
India has entered women Judokas in 48kg, 57kg and 63kg classes and men Judokas in 60kg, 66kg 100kg categories in the Commonwealth Games to be held from July 28 to August 8 this year. The selection committee will hold fresh trials across weight categories for other international events that are coming up.
(IANS)
