Indian wrestling team’s U-turn from World Championship, blamed Sports Ministry

New Delhi: India is out of World Wrestling Championship Wrestling Federation of India/ Wrestling Federation of India has withdrawn from this event. Most of the blame has been put on the Sports Ministry. Wrestling Federation of India on Wednesday withdrew the Indian team from the World Championship. After this decision, WFI has informed United World Wrestling.

In fact, WFI says that the Sports Ministry is interfering in its autonomy. The Senior World Championship of 12 non-Olympic categories is to be held in Tirana, Albania from October 28. WFI had recently announced selection trials for Under 23 and World Championships, which was challenged as contempt of court by protesting wrestlers who questioned the validity of the selection by the suspended WFI.

WFI withdrew the selection trial notice and the court decided not to proceed with the contempt petition on October 4. A WFI source told PTI – Sakshi Malik’s husband Satyavrat Kadian recently approached the court and said that WFI should be charged with contempt of court. We will no longer be able to send the Indian team for the World Championship, we have informed this to UWW.

This source said – All this is happening due to the suspension by the ministry. There is no basis to continue the suspension. If the ministry lifts the suspension, then all these issues will not come to the fore. Wrestlers are suffering because of some wrestlers and the ministry is not lifting the suspension.

Sports Ministry had banned WFI on 24 December
Soon after voting for the election of new office bearers, the Sports Ministry suspended WFI on 24 December. WFI President Sanjay Singh has written in a letter to UWW President Nenad Lalovic – Unfortunately, MYAS (ministry) continues to interfere in the autonomy of WFI. MYAS has ordered WFI to cease and desist from discharging the day-to-day administration of WFI on 24 December 2023, directing the Indian Olympic Association (NOC of India) to form an ad hoc committee to run WFI. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) dissolved the ad hoc panel managing the federation in March this year, then UWW lifted the ban on WFI in February.

When WFI started functioning, wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyavrat filed a petition in the court to appoint an administrator to manage the sports body. The court said in its interim order that the decision of the Indian Olympic Association to dissolve the ad hoc committee is inconsistent with the suspension order of the Sports Ministry. It said that until the suspension order is withdrawn, it is necessary for the ad-hoc committee to manage the affairs of the federation. However, the IOA told the court that it cannot reconstitute the panel.