
United World Wrestling (UWW), the apex body of wrestling in the world, has lifted the suspension placed on Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) with immediate effect. UWW had suspended the WFI on August 23 last year for failing to hold the elections in due course. The suspension, however, has been revoked under some conditions.
"On February 9, the UWW Bureau met to review the suspension and decided to lift the suspension under some conditions, like the WFI has to re-convene the elections of its Athletes’ Commission. The candidates for this commission shall be active athletes or retired for no longer than four years. The voters shall be exclusively athletes. These elections shall take place during trials or any senior national championships where this operation can take place, but no later than July 1, 2024," read a statement from world wrestling body.
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"The WFI has to immediately provide UWW with written guarantees that all wrestlers will be considered for participation without any discrimination in all WFI events, in particular trials for the Olympic Games and any other major national and international events. This non-discrimination includes the three athletes who protested against alleged wrongdoings by the former President," the statement further read.
Notably, in December last year, the WFI had conducted the election in which Sanjay Singh had won. Singh is the supporter of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh against whom several athletes, including Bajrang Puniya, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, were protesting.
The Ministry of Sports, India then suspended the newly elected WFI body headed by chief Sanjay Singh on December 24. The suspension came after WFI failed to follow the provisions of the constitution of WFI while announcing a hasty plan to host the wrestling nationals.
The ministry also observed that the newly elected body "appears to be in complete control of former office bearers in complete disregard to the Sports Code."