World wrestling body suspends WFI
Wrestling’s world body, United World Wrestling has suspended the Wrestling Federation of India over not conducting elections on time. As an immediate impact, Indian athletes would have to participate in the Olympics-qualifying world championships, starting September 16, as ‘neutral athletes’.
Wrestling’s world governing body, United World Wrestling (UWW) had warned the Indian body, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) of suspension if it did not conduct elections on time. And precisely that’s what happened today, as the Bhupender Singh Bajwa-led ad-hoc panel did not honour the 45-day deadline for conducting the elections.
The impact of the suspension would be serious: Indian wrestlers will have to compete at the world championships starting September 16 in Belgrade, which is a 2024 Paris Olympic Games-qualifying tournament, as ‘neutral athletes’ and not as Indian athletes.
The elections for the 15 positions were to be held on August 12. A series of protests by wrestlers and legal petitions from various state units have repeatedly postponed the elections.
UWW first suspended WFI in January, and then again in May, after the country’s top wrestlers accused then-president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing female wrestlers. He has since remained suspended and Delhi Police has filed cases against him.
Participation in the Asian Games, starting September 23, however, would not be impacted as the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had sent the entries and not the WFI directly. This is because Asian Games are regulated by the Olympic Council of Asia, which in turn is under the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
On Monday, August 21, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s close aide Sanjay Singh filed his nomination for president, SP Deswal, also from the Brij Bhushan camp, for treasurer and Darshan Lal for general secretary.
