Crossover Gear Shift Rod - are they supposed to be bent?

I have my 72 stripped out for engine & gearbox upgrade, so decide to pull out & rebush the gear shift rod (the long one that goes from front to back)
Being a 72 it’s a cross-over, so has a different rod to others (extra linkage at the gearbox end)
Mine has a bend in it near the front end, around where the hole is for the front bushing.
Is it supposed to be bent?
I can’t find a decent picture of one to confirm - found a video online from someone with same shift rod, looked to be bent in exactly the same place & he straightened it
It actually looks like it’s intended to be bent (more of an acute bend, than curved), but it’s also at where the hole is, so maybe just a weak point & think it will foul the tube
Any help/ideas?
Cheers

 

Adjusters on the front beam? Is it clear them.

 

Yes and it need a bit more of a bend adding if adjuaters fitted..

 

When it dries up, I will try and get a photo of mine.

 

Thanks for all replies.
I got the attached drawing from Samba forum, which shows a 72 linkage - the front linkage has a couple of bends in it, which I circled. I replaced that a couple of years ago & its obviously as expected
Its doesn't really show you any details on the longer rod that connects front to back
I have arrowed where mine has a bend - right on the hole for the front bush, plus added a photo of the actual rob against a straight edge
I also found this video on line which shows exactly the same shift rod, with a bend in it, at exactly the same point, but he advised he straightened it out - either coincidence it bent in same place (might be weak around the hole) or he mistakenly straightened it?

Its one of those jobs you only get to do when gearbox is out & hopefully will improve a little the whole gearchange experience


I’m

 

As it’s been said about the front one,
They are often bent or beaten senseless so they clear the grippy thing nut on the adjuster if you have or have had an adjustable beam .

 

I have never seen a bend on the rear section of shift rod before. It travels through a straight tube, so I can’t see why vw would put a bend there.

 

So many talking about the front one but the op is asking about the front portion of the rear one.

 

That is why they shouldn’t sell trolley jacks in Halfords

 

Or was it the rear portion of the front one

 

That was my thought, the bend is right on the point where front bush locates into a hole in the rod, so think its actually going to foul the rod as it moves back & forth in the tube
The front front bush fell out, as I withdrew the rod so not convinced it was actually keeping the rod centered as it should do - maybe one of reasons of rubbish gearchange (I know its a variable expedience) was the bend in the rod - the alignment with the gear shifter, being handled by the offset/bends in the front linkage arm.