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The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) faces the threat of another suspension from the United World Wrestling (UWW) due to ongoing government interference. Ten days after the sports ministry informed the Delhi High Court that it would not recognize or support WFI, UWW has issued a stern warning.In a letter signed by UWW president Nenad Lalovic, the global governing body expressed its determination to uphold WFI's independence and autonomy. UWW stated that if the government imposes an ad hoc committee to oversee WFI's affairs, it would have no choice but to re-impose a temporary suspension on the federation. This suspension could extend to Indian wrestlers, potentially affecting their participation in the final Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament in May.The UWW ban would also draw the attention of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which may consider further action. This comes after WFI appointed an Athletes Commission in accordance with UWW's demand, with former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Narsingh Yadav elected as chairman.UWW had previously suspended WFI in August 2023 due to delays in holding elections. The ban was lifted in February, and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) reinstated WFI. However, the sports ministry has maintained its suspension since December 2023.In an affidavit filed with the Delhi High Court, the ministry stated that it would review the suspension only after visible improvement in WFI's governance. The ministry also declared that any national championships or competitions organized by WFI would be considered unsanctioned and unrecognised.WFI officials have expressed concern over the government's interference, emphasizing the need for autonomy. They have pointed out that UWW's potential ban on wrestlers would be unprecedented in Indian history.Meanwhile, Indian wrestlers' performance has been a cause for concern. At the recent Asian Olympic Qualifiers, only three female wrestlers secured quotas, while the male wrestlers failed to qualify.

India's hopes of securing an Olympic quota in men's wrestling at the Asian Qualifiers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, were dashed after Aman Sehrawat, the lone Indian to reach the semi-finals, was pinned by Uzbekistan's Gulomjon Abdullaev in the 57kg freestyle category.Sehrawat, the reigning Asian champion, had a promising start, defeating Kazakhstan's Yerassyl Mukhtaruly and South Korea's Sunggwon Kim in the earlier rounds. However, Abdullaev proved to be an insurmountable obstacle.The Uzbek wrestler, known for his aggressive style, attacked Sehrawat's right leg early on and executed a single-leg takedown. He then threatened to run away with the bout by grabbing both of Sehrawat's legs. Despite Sehrawat's attempts to ward off the attack, Abdullaev secured a four-point duckunder.Sehrawat's coach, Lalit Kumar, attributed the loss to Abdullaev's superior experience and aggressive tactics. "Abdullaev was the only real challenger that Aman had," Kumar said. "He has always had a measure of Indians."Sehrawat's plan was to take the bout to the second period, where Abdullaev's energy levels typically decline. However, the Indian wrestler was unable to recover from Abdullaev's early attacks.Kumar also noted that Sehrawat was carrying a niggle in his groin and hamstring, which may have affected his performance.The defeat leaves India with no Olympic quotas from the Asian Qualifiers. The team will now have to rely on the World Qualifiers in May for their final chance to secure a spot at the Paris Games.

Indian wrestlers Deepak Punia and Sujeet Kalkal face a race against time to participate in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, due to flight cancellations caused by heavy rains in Dubai. The duo, along with Punia's coach Kamal Malikov and physiotherapist Shubham Gupta, arrived in Dubai from Dagestan, Russia, on Tuesday evening but have been stranded at the airport since their flight to Bishkek was canceled.Punia, who competes in the 86kg class, and Kalkal, who fights in the 65kg category, were in high spirits and confident of securing Olympic quotas. However, their plans have been thrown into disarray by the flight disruptions."It's really unfortunate that they are in such a mess. They were raring to go to Bishkek," said Dayanand Kalkal, Sujeet's father and coach.The wrestlers have been forced to spend nights on the airport floor and their diet has been severely compromised. They are surviving on sandwiches and bread, which is not ideal for their weight management."Punia was 4-5kgs overweight as on Tuesday and he is trying his best to cut the extra kilos. They had planned to reach Bishkek two days before the trials which would have given him enough time to meet the weight," said Lalit Kumar, Punia's coach.Unable to train properly, the duo has resorted to using a treadmill at the airport for cardiovascular workouts.If they manage to board a flight on Thursday, they will arrive in Bishkek early Friday morning and will have to rush to the competition venue for weigh-ins scheduled at 8am. The bouts will follow later in the day."Even if they make the weigh-in, expecting them to make the final and earn a quota will be too much," said Dayanand.The wrestlers considered flying to India and then taking a direct flight to Bishkek, but all flights to India were delayed by at least six hours.Other Indian wrestlers, including Aman Sehrawat (57kg) and Vinesh Phogat (50kg), have already reached Bishkek. So far, India has only one Paris quota in wrestling, won by Antim Panghal in the 53kg division.

Indian Wrestlers Aim for Paris Games Quota at Asia Olympic QualifiersThe road to the Paris 2024 Olympics begins in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as 17 Indian wrestlers, including two-time Olympian Vinesh Phogat, embark on their quest for quota places at the Asia Olympic qualifiers starting Friday.With 36 quotas up for grabs in 18 weight categories across freestyle, women's, and Greco-Roman disciplines, India will be represented in all but one weight category. Antim Panghal has already secured a quota in women's 53kg after her bronze medal performance at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships.The spotlight will be on Vinesh Phogat, a former Asian Games and Commonwealth Games medalist, who has been at the forefront of Indian wrestlers' protests against the former national federation president. Despite recent controversies, the 29-year-old will be eager to prove her worth and earn a spot in her third Olympics.Other Indian wrestlers to watch include Reetika Hooda (76kg), Anshu (57kg), Mansi (62kg), and Nisha (68kg) in the women's categories. In the men's freestyle category, Aman Sehrawat (57kg) will be the center of attention after defeating Tokyo Olympic medalist Ravi Dahiya in the national trials. Sujeet will lead the challenge in the 65kg category, while Deepak Punia (86kg), Jaideep (74kg), Deepak (97kg), and Sumit (125kg) will also aim for quota places.In Greco-Roman, Sumit (60kg), Ashu (67kg), Vikas (77kg), Sunil (87kg), Nitesh (97kg), and Naveen (130kg) will represent India.The continental qualifiers will feature no gold medal, repechage, or bronze-medal bouts. Instead, the winners of both semi-finals in each Olympic weight class will earn a quota for their countries at the Paris Games.

Indian wrestlers Akash Dahiya and Anirudh Kumar have advanced to the bronze medal matches at the Asian Championships in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. However, three of their teammates have been eliminated from the tournament.Dahiya, competing in the non-Olympic 61kg category, started with a narrow 10-8 victory over Uzbekistan's Sardor Ruzimov. He then defeated Korea's Sanghyeon Son 7-3 in the quarterfinal. However, Kazakhstan's Assyl Aitakyn proved too strong for Dahiya in the semifinal, winning by technical superiority. Dahiya will now face Mongolia's Enkhbold Enkhbat for the bronze medal.Anirudh Kumar, competing in the 125kg category, began with a 3-0 win over Pakistan's Zaman Anwar. However, he was outplayed by Iran's Amir Hossein Abbas Zare in the quarterfinal, losing by technical superiority. Since Zare reached the final, Kumar remains in contention for bronze and will face Bahrain's Shamil Magomed A Sharipov.Yash Tushir (74kg), Sandeep Singh Maan (86kg), and Vinay (92kg) were all eliminated from the tournament after losing in their respective categories.India had won three medals on Thursday through Udit (57kg, silver), Abhimanyou (70kg, bronze), and Vicky (97kg, bronze). The men's free-style competition will conclude today, while the women's bouts will begin on Saturday.

The Delhi High Court is considering the formation of an ad hoc committee to manage the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Justice Sachin Datta has granted the Union Sports Ministry another opportunity to clarify its stance on managing the federation's affairs after the dissolution of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) ad hoc committee.The court criticized the ministry for failing to file an affidavit explaining its decision to suspend the WFI and the circumstances surrounding the dissolution of the IOA's ad hoc committee. Justice Datta indicated that he may appoint an ad hoc committee if the ministry does not provide a clear explanation.The court's consideration stems from an application filed by four wrestlers, including Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Punia, who sought directions to the ministry not to revoke the WFI's suspension. The wrestlers also requested the appointment of a one-man committee to oversee the management of the WFI.The IOA had dissolved its ad hoc committee on March 18, citing the lifting of the WFI's ban by the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the successful completion of selection trials. However, the wrestlers argued that the ministry's suspension order remained in effect.The ministry's counsel requested a week's time to file an affidavit, claiming that the response needed approval from the Joint Secretary, who was out of the country. The wrestlers' counsel alleged that the ministry's stance was dependent on whether the "ousted gentleman" (former WFI president Sanjay Singh) received a ticket for the upcoming elections.The WFI, represented by senior advocate Dayanan Krishnan, informed the court that a coordinate bench had issued notice in the federation's plea challenging the ministry's order suspending the elected executive committee.The IOA, in its affidavit, stated that it withdrew the ad hoc committee to avoid conflict with the Olympic Charter and UWW rules. It emphasized that the WFI's recognition by the UWW is paramount and that the NOC cannot interfere in the affairs of NSFs.The court has adjourned the matter for further hearing, awaiting the ministry's affidavit and the wrestlers' response.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has clarified its stance on the selection of wrestlers for the Paris Olympics, stating that the doors remain open for all athletes, including Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya.WFI President Sanjay Singh emphasized that the federation will adhere to its selection policy, which stipulates that the performance of quota-winning wrestlers will be reviewed before a decision is made on holding a selection trial prior to the Paris Games."There is no confusion now. The ad-hoc committee is no longer in place, and WFI will follow the rules and regulations of its selection policy," Singh said. "It states that whoever wins the Olympic berth, their performance will be assessed. If the performance is satisfactory, the same wrestler will go to Paris. Otherwise, the wrestler who is performing well in the same weight class will get an opportunity."Regarding Dahiya and Punia, Singh stated that their performances will be evaluated, as will those of all other wrestlers. "There will be no discrimination against anyone," he added.The teams for the two Olympic qualification tournaments were selected based on the ad-hoc panel's selection policy, which allowed the top four wrestlers from these trials to qualify for a final trial in May for the Paris Olympics.In the 53kg weight class, Antim Panghal has already qualified, while double world medalist Vinesh Phogat is among the contenders to challenge her for Paris. However, Phogat will also have the opportunity to secure a berth for India in the 50kg category."Vinesh will be competing in the 50kg Olympic qualification tournament in Bishkek," Singh confirmed.At the WFI Special General Meeting in Noida, amendments to the constitution were approved, including age, tenure, and cooling-off period guidelines as per the Sports Code. The 70-year age cap and two consecutive terms (or eight years), followed by a mandatory four-year cooling-off period, will now apply to all WFI executive council positions.The SGM also adopted a resolution to conduct Athletes Commission elections as mandated by United World Wrestling (UWW). The elections will be held during the Federation Cup in Varanasi from April 24-26.WFI, which was suspended by the Sports Ministry, discussed the possibility of functioning without government funding. "UWW and IOA have lifted the suspension on WFI. We hope the Sports Ministry also lifts the suspension, but at present, we are not receiving any financial help from the government, so we discussed ways to run the organization," Singh said.WFI Secretary General Prem Chand Lohcab, who came from the camp of protesting wrestlers, has not attended any of the three WFI meetings. WFI adopted a resolution that if the secretary general fails to forward proposed amendments to every member of the general council as described in the WFI constitution, the president may authorize one of the joint secretaries to do so.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has resolved to operate independently of government funding if its suspension is not lifted. This decision was made at a Special General Meeting (SGM) held in Noida after the United World Wrestling (UWW) lifted its suspension and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) dissolved the ad-hoc panel managing the WFI.The WFI's suspension by the government stemmed from alleged rule violations during its election process. However, the UWW's decision to lift its suspension and the IOA's dissolution of the ad-hoc panel have paved the way for the elected office bearers to resume control.Despite these developments, the government has yet to lift its suspension. The WFI has unanimously agreed to operate without government funding if the suspension remains in place. This would mean that the WFI would be responsible for funding wrestlers' training, competitions, and foreign exposure trips.The WFI has also amended its Constitution to eliminate the requirement for a two-third majority for candidates contesting elections for new posts. This amendment simplifies the election process and allows for greater flexibility in leadership selection.Additionally, the WFI has removed the requirement for state associations to have recognition from State Olympic Committees (SOCs) for affiliation with the national body. This move aims to prevent misuse of the clause by suspended state bodies claiming legitimacy through SOC recognition.All state bodies have been instructed to adhere to the National Sports Code in conducting elections and functioning. Age and tenure guidelines must be followed by all affiliated entities.

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat's decision to compete in two weight categories at the selection trials on March 11 has sparked controversy. While the move may have been strategic for her Olympic aspirations, it has drawn criticism from fellow athletes.Phogat, a two-time World Championships bronze medalist, entered both the 50kg and 53kg classes. She finished third in the 53kg category but won the 50kg trials, securing her spot for next month's Olympic qualifiers.The 53kg quota has already been secured by Antim Panghal, who was exempted from the trials. According to the selection criteria, a final selection trial in May will determine who represents India in Paris.Phogat defended her decision, stating that she was unsure if the final selection trial in the 53kg class would be held. She also emphasized that she did not violate any rules by entering two weight categories, as Article 7 of UWW regulations applies only to international competitions."I want to clarify that I, along with other finalists, have undergone dope tests after both the senior nationals held in the previous month and following the recent trials," Phogat added, addressing rumors that she had not undergone the mandatory dope test.However, some athletes have expressed concerns about Phogat's actions. They argue that it is unfair for her to compete in two weight categories, especially when other wrestlers have dedicated themselves to a single weight class.The controversy has highlighted the need for clear and transparent selection criteria. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) must ensure that all wrestlers are treated fairly and that the selection process is based on merit.