New Delhi
With the top three contenders ending up with the same number of wins, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has decided to hold the trials in the men’s freestyle 57kg division for the Asian Games again.

Asian Championship gold medallist Sandeep Tomar, Utkarsh Kale and Ravi ended up with same number of wins in the trials in Sonepat on Saturday.

The new date for the trials is June 13, when WFI officials will again be in Sonepat to conduct the trials for the Junior Asian Wrestling Championship, to be held in New Delhi on July 17-23.

On Saturday, Tomar beat Kale, while Kale defeated Ravi. But Tomar’s defeat at the hands of Ravi complicated matters.

In the classification points, both Tomar and Kale had 14 points each, but since the Navy grappler had beaten Maharashtra’s Kale, he would have earned the spot for the Asian Games.

However, based on chief coach Jagmender Singh’s recommendations, who felt Kale fought better than the others, WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and secretary general VN Parsood, along with the selection committee, decided to hold the trials again.

WFI had announced Tomar’s name as part of the freestyle squad but later said that the result of the 57kg division was withheld.

WFI assistant secretary told The Tribune that had this been a medal event, Tomar would have won it, but in this case, the federation wanted another trial.

“This is a trial so WFI can hold it again as the best should represent India,” Tomar said.

“In this case, all three had wins against each other. So WFI has decided to have a retrial to select the best wrestler. That (classification) rule is in medal competitions only so I don’t see a reason why there should be any confusion or controversy regarding a retrial,” he added.