In a bizarre incident, injured kurash player Vishal Singh Ruhil reached Hangzhou on Wednesday only to be denied entry at the Asian Games Village because he had already been replaced.

Ruhil suffered head injuries after he was beaten up allegedly by a coach from his training centre in Dwarka. The incident happened on September 15, giving him little time to recover.

Vishal went through a fitness test on Monday after being directed by the Sports Authority of India. It was found his injury was yet to heal.

“Due to incomplete healing of multiple lacerated injury to the scalp, medical fitness clearance cannot be granted for participation in any category of elite competition in combat sports, which can pose significant risk of aggravation if indulged in combat sports like kurash,” according to the report of Medical Officer, IG Stadium, Dr Irfan Ahmad Dar, a copy of which is with HT.

Vishal was replaced by Aditya Dhopaokar.

An official aware of the issue claimed that the Kurash Association of India (KAI) mishandled the issue.

“There was no communication from anyone in the association with Vishal. Once he reached there, the federation asked him to shell out his own money to return to India,” the official said.

KAI president Dharmendra Malhotra did not take phone calls.

It is learnt that steps are being taken by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for his return to India.

KAI was in the limelight for ‘controversial’ selection trials and court cases in the lead up to the Games. Two factions of the association were involved in a tussle for recognition and several players complained about the trials from which the team was picked.

In fact, Rahul Vyas, the technical official for the selection trials, had written to SAI and the union sport ministry citing “irregularities” during the trials conducted on June 24. He also alleged that he was “put under pressure” to change his decisions, and he refused and was “manhandled.”