The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): The United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body for the sport of wrestling, has issued a stark warning to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), threatening to reimpose a temporary suspension on the federation due to ongoing legal and administrative disputes. This suspension could potentially extend to Indian athletes, jeopardizing their participation in upcoming Olympic qualifiers.
UWW’s warning comes in the wake of potential violations of its statutes by decisions made within India’s wrestling administration. Specifically, UWW president Nenad Lalovic highlighted concerns that a third party might be appointed to oversee the sport’s daily affairs in India, a move that would contravene UWW’s regulations.
This development follows a brief period of relief for the WFI when UWW lifted its previous suspension after the federation conducted its elections. Despite this, the sports ministry in India has not yet reinstated the federation, and several court cases challenging the legality of these elections remain unresolved.
The situation is particularly critical as it coincides with the final Olympic Games Qualifying Tournament scheduled for May. The potential suspension could not only prevent Indian wrestlers from competing but might also draw the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) attention, leading to further repercussions.
The Delhi High Court is currently reviewing an application from four prominent wrestlers, including Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Punia. This follows the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) dissolution of an ad-hoc committee previously set up to manage wrestling affairs after the sports ministry’s suspension of the WFI.
This looming uncertainty places significant pressure on Indian wrestling, a sport in which the country has consistently excelled at the international level, notably since Sushil Kumar’s bronze in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The ongoing administrative disputes threaten to disrupt the athletes’ preparations and opportunities for the Paris Games.
