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.
IOC urges IOA to appoint CEO quickly, asks it to settle wrestling issue by following UWW rules and directives
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.
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 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
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.
'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.
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'
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.
A positive outcome for Vinesh could overturn the disqualification and award her a joint silver medal.
Former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh pleaded not guilty.
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.
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 Wrestling Federation of India conveyed to the world governing body UWW that the sports ministry is interfering with its autonomy.
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.
This threat from UWW comes days after the Delhi High Court was considering an application filed by four wrestlers including Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia after the IOA dissolved the ad hoc committee on March 18 saying that there was "no further need" for it to run.
Indian wrestlers will miss the second Ranking Series in Albania after the Sports Ministry withheld approval, citing the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) failure to submit necessary recommendations on time.
Sanjay Singh claimed that the veteran wrestlers who have been protesting do not want junior wrestlers to progress
Asian champion Sunil Kumar, U-23 Asian Championship gold winner Minakshi, and several other Indian wrestlers gathered at Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya's residence, requesting his intervention to secure approval for their participation in the upcoming Ranking Series in Albania.
The Sports Ministry said the suspended Wrestling Federation of India has no authority to conduct the Senior National Championships.
Rohtash's decision, however, brought to light the differences arisen within the HAWA, which is affiliated to WFI, with its general secretary Rakesh Singh calling the suspension of the district officials as a wrong move.
Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia urged world governing body UWW to reimpose suspension on Wrestling Federation of India.
Brij Bhushan expressed that this triumph is not just his, but a victory for wrestlers nationwide
'It is not about money, it is about respect. Many people from across the state tell me that I must have received the cash award.'
'I also have full faith in the Government of India, who I am sure will take the correct step in the right direction in this regard. However, as the IOA President, I sincerely hope the athletes, under no circumstances, are denied their rights'
Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment: 'It's a conspiracy by Congress'
Describing wrestling's omission from the 2020 Olympics as demoralising, the IOC-recognised IOA and the Wrestling Federation of India hoped that the sport would be brought back on the schedule after reconsideration.
The International Olympic Committee should investigate India's wrestling federation and bolster its tools to report cases of sexual harassment, the Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA) said
Delhi HC open to IOA reconstituting ad hoc panel for WFI's functioning
From battling opposition from the villagers who considered wrestling to be a man's sport, losing her father at the age of just nine, to taking on powerful federation officials, Vinesh has faced innumerable hardships on her way to realising her dreams.
Olympian Deepak Punia skipped the national trials, in Patiala on Saturday.
Sakshi along with two-time World Championships bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat and Tokyo Olympics bronze winner Bajrang Punia spearheaded the protest against Singh at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding his arrest for intimidating and allegedly sexually harassing female grapplers of the country.
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