India’s Paris Olympics medal hopeful Deepak Punia and fellow wrestler Sujeet Kalkal have been stranded at the Dubai International Airport since Tuesday owing to the record rainfall that’s led to floods and caused disruption.
The unprecedented situation has put the duo’s participation in the Asian Olympic Qualifying tournament, to be held in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), in serious doubt. Punia and Kalkal’s bouts are to take place on Friday, with weigh-in scheduled for 8 am local time.
However, Sports Authority of India said that the wrestlers will be accommodated in a flight from Dubai to Bishkek on Thursday itself.
“Officials of @cgidubai are in touch with wrestlers, Deepak Punia and Sujeet Kalkal who have been stranded in Dubai due to the disruption of flights. They will be accommodated in a flight from Dubai to Bishkek tonight ahead of the Asian Olympic Qualifying tournament,” SAI said in a Facebook post.
Punia, who competes in the 86 kg category, and Kalkal, who wrestlers in the 65 kg weight class, are accompanied by their Russian coach Kamal Malikov and physio Shubham Gupta.
According to Kalkal’s father Dayanand, the wrestlers are hoping to get a late-night flight from Dubai, which – if it departs – will ensure they reach Bishkek at around 4.30 am local time. “At least then they will be able to appear for the weigh-in at 8 and participate in their bouts later in the day,” Dayanand told The Indian Express. “But it’s a tense situation. I am worried for their well-being.”
Even if they make it in time for the qualifiers, Dayanand said he was concerned if Punia and Kalkal would be physically and mentally ready to compete. “They have been sleeping on the floor of the terminal and have not been able to eat proper food. They are in a terrible situation,” Dayanand said.
While the other Indian wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, left for Bishkek directly from Delhi, Punia and Kalkal were travelling by themselves. The duo was training in Dagestan, Russia, from April 2 to 15. On April 16, they took a flight from Makachkala to Bishkek via Dubai, which was booked by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Operations at the Dubai airport, however, have been severely disrupted due to the heavy rains, which have battered the Emirates. According to the UAE government, the country received its highest rainfall in 75 years as up to 259.5 mm of rain fell on Tuesday.
According to the BBC, around 300 flights have been cancelled so far and hundreds more have been delayed.
Punia, who narrowly missed out on a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games, is one of the biggest contenders to earn a qualification quota for the Paris Olympics from the tournament in Bishkek, which is the first of the last two chances for wrestlers to earn spots for their nations.
This was the first major tournament for Kalkal, who made the cut in a weight class in which Bajrang Punia won a bronze at the Tokyo Olympics. Bajrang, who was among the wrestlers to lead the protests against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and alleged that he had sexualy harrassed women wresters, lost in the early rounds of the domestic selection trials, where Kalkal prevailed.
The challenge for both wrestlers, even if they reach Bishkek in time for their bouts, will be to ensure they can cut weight and remain eligible to take part.
WFI President Sanjay Singh could not be reached for comment.
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