With its recognition as a National Sports Federation (NSF) reinstated, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) swiftly moved to organise selection trials for the upcoming Asian Championship. The trials are set for March 15 at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Sports Complex and will be the first major event under the new WFI administration. The federation was suspended just three days after electing new office bearers on December 21, 2023.

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The trials will determine the country's top wrestlers for the championship, scheduled in Amman, Jordan, from March 25-30. According to a WFI circular, weigh-ins for all categories—men’s freestyle, women’s wrestling, and Greco-Roman—will take place on the trial day, with participants receiving a 2 kg weight relaxation.

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During its suspension, WFI was unable to select national teams as wrestlers who had protested against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh took legal action, challenging the federation’s authority.

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Suspension lifted

On Tuesday (March 11), the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports lifted WFI’s suspension, ending months of uncertainty and permitting the resumption of its activities, including selection trials.

WFI was initially suspended on December 24, 2023, due to governance issues and procedural lapses following the election of Sanjay Singh as its new president on December 21. The suspension followed Singh’s announcement of the Under-15 and Under-20 National Championships in Nandini Nagar, Gonda—known as the stronghold of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced sexual harassment allegations.

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The suspension stemmed from a series of protests by top wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia in 2023, accusing Brij Bhushan Singh of sexual misconduct. The protests delayed WFI elections, prompting United World Wrestling (UWW) to impose a ban in August 2023 for failing to conduct elections within the given timeframe. Consequently, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) established an ad hoc committee to manage WFI’s operations.

(With inputs from agencies)