The Wrestling Federation of India unveiled a new selection policy that makes attendance at national camps mandatory to be eligible for national selection, bars wrestlers from training independently and mandates Olympic Games quota-winning athletes to appear in a final one-bout selection trial.
Aman Sehrawat requested the Wrestling Federation of India to reconsider the one-year ban imposed on him for failing to make weight at the World Championships in Zagreb.
Much to the exasperation of WFI, two overage wrestlers even won medals at the recent Khelo India Games in Bihar.
Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat was suspended from all wrestling-related activities for one year after he failed to make weight at the Senior World Championships.
The trials will select top wrestlers to represent India at the Asian Championship in Amman, Jordan from March 25-30.
The medal count was nowhere close to satisfactory at the senior level but junior performances held out hope for a brighter future as Indian wrestling searched for new stars in a challenging 2025.
United World Wrestling on Thursday suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) with immediate effect in the wake of a delay in holding elections.
UWW, the world governing body for wrestling, has threatened to suspend India if the political interference in the affairs of the national federation does not end soon.
Bajrang Punia banned, Phogat turns politician, WFI suspension, litigations, and lost medals: How Indian wrestling stagnated in 2024
Former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has consistently denied the allegations.
The denial of visa to Pakistani shooters had led to the International Olympic Committee suspending discussions with India for hosting future global events.
They weren't up for a windfall even after the trophy but life was certain to get a lot better as some sponsors and state governments stepped up to lift them financially.
Reetika Hooda, who became the country's first-ever Under-23 World champion in 2023, has been suspended provisionally by NADA for flunking a dope test.
In the boys' final, Lanchenba (50kg) displayed tremendous skill and heart but narrowly missed gold, settling for silver after a tough bout against Kazakhstan's Nurmakhan Zhumagali.
However, according to the latest developments, the WFI have now returned to Brij Bhushan's house after their failure to get a new premise because of the ban imposed by the Sports Ministry.
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IOC urges IOA to appoint CEO quickly, asks it to settle wrestling issue by following UWW rules and directives
With Vinesh Phogat's heartbreaking disqualification over discrepancies in weight at the Paris Olympics just when India was keeping its fingers crossed for a sure shot victory at the finals, spirits have hit an all-time low. Art mirrors life and it won't be a surprise if our sports biopic obsessed film-makers turn this dramatic change of events into a movie one day.
Wrestler Neha Sangwan, who was disqualified from the recent Under-20 World Championships for being overweight, was on Monday dropped from the senior World Championships squad.
The world body said it has been keeping an eye on the protest by the wrestlers against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Apart from the senior competition, the U-17 and U-23 Asian Championships are set to return to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan for a second straight year. The tournament will take place from June 10 to 18.
The trials were initially planned for February 27-29 but got postponed
Keen to make a career in wrestling, many Haryana athletes try to come through neighbouring state Delhi by procuring fake certificates.
Sanju and Anshul Gill registered convincing wins to move into the semi-finals as India's boxers continued their solid run at the fourth Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament.
UWW had later said WFI may need to safeguard women wrestlers to get its suspension lifted.
The allegations were levelled by prominent grapplers such as Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya.
Prem Chand Lochab's election to secretary general's post is in violation of WFI's constitution and he is now preventing the growth of wrestling in the country by demanding a postponement of the junior Nationals, said Darshan Lal, who had lost to him in the recent polls, on Saturday.
It was a mere formality for the general assembly of 74 members to put a seal of approval on India's bid after Ahmedabad was recommended as the proposed host of the centenary edition by the Commonwealth Sport's Executive Board last month. India last hosted the CWG in 2010 in Delhi.
The IOA was ready to make a presentation to the 2026 organisers to explain to them how including those two disciplines could 'increase the stature of the event'
'This was all conspired to gain a hold on the Wrestling Federation of India and to attack the BJP and its ideology...This team of Rahul, the Congress keeps doing these things.'
Vinesh will be replaced by the Cuban wrestler, Yuznelys Guzman, whom she beat on Tuesday.
We did not ask for exemption from trials, just asked for time to prepare: Wrestlers
Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik on Thursday announced her retirement from the sport, protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh winning the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election for the top job, in New Delhi.
UWW boss Nenad Lalovic also said the world body will require a "robust plan" from the stake-holders guaranteeing a "safe environment" where grapplers can report abuse and harassment, and a clear hearing process is in place.
Former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh pleaded not guilty.
A positive outcome for Vinesh could overturn the disqualification and award her a joint silver medal.
If CAS rules in Vinesh's favour, she will be awarded a joint-silver in the women's 50kg freestyle category.
The ministry felt the new WFI body was working under the complete control of its former office-bearers, which was not in conformity with the National Sports Code.
National Wrestling coach Virendra Dahiya believes that Vinesh Phogat at least deserved a silver medal after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) dismissed her appeal.
The WFI will resume national camp from March 27, after after almost 16 months with Sonepat and Gandhinagar in Gujarat to be the likely venues for men and women respectively.
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