The world governing body for wrestling, known as UWW, has issued a warning to India, threatening to suspend the country if political interference in the national wrestling federation does not come to an end soon. UWW President Nenad Lalovic emphasized that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) must maintain its independence.
The situation escalated when the Indian Sports Ministry suspended the WFI just two days after it held elections in December 2023. In response, wrestler Satyawart Kadian filed a petition in a Delhi court, questioning the WFI’s authority to select national teams.
Due to these complications, the Indian wrestling team almost missed the chance to compete in the World Championship. The Sports Ministry has since clarified that it will review the suspension after initially clearing the team to participate. The court has also pressed the ministry to take a clear stance on the suspension issue.
Moreover, the court re-instated an ad-hoc panel to oversee WFI matters, but the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) refused to accept this order, claiming it wasn’t necessary. Despite this, the government invited WFI President Sanjay Singh to represent the federation in official meetings.
On Thursday, UWW President Lalovic communicated with Singh, stating that the UWW recognizes the WFI as the sole representative for wrestling matters in India and its international representation. Lalovic stressed the importance of minimizing outside political interference in the federation’s internal issues, apart from managing public funding.
He highlighted that this principle of autonomy is enshrined in the UWW Constitution and the Olympic Charter, and all member federations are expected to adhere to it strictly. Lalovic warned that if the WFI’s independence is not fully respected in the long run, suspension measures could take effect.
Should UWW proceed with suspending India due to these political issues, Indian wrestlers would be barred from participating in future international competitions. A source from WFI expressed concern, stating that the suspension has already stalled national training camps. “If this situation continues, and the ministry does not lift the suspension leading to a UWW ban, it would be a huge setback for the sport and for our country’s wrestlers,” the source noted.
