The Union sports ministry has lifted its suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), thereby facilitating India's involvement in international competitions, beginning with the Asian Championships this month.

In its directive, the ministry expressed concern that the "ongoing governance void" could hinder the training and competitive exposure of wrestlers, potentially jeopardizing India's chances for medals at the 2026 Asian Games and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Consequently, the order issued on Monday emphasized the necessity of ensuring stability in the administration of wrestling for the greater benefit of Indian sports and its athletes.

The WFI, led by president Sanjay Singh, was suspended on December 12, 2023, shortly after assuming office amid a contentious transition following protests by wrestlers against former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The ministry cited "lapses in governance and procedural integrity" by the newly elected body, which appeared to be under the influence of former office-bearers, in blatant violation of the sports code.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) disbanded its ad hoc committee overseeing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on March 18 of the previous year, following the lifting of a ban imposed by the global governing body, United World Wrestling. However, the governance of wrestling continued to face significant challenges. On August 16, the Delhi High Court, in response to a petition from protesting wrestlers, mandated the reinstatement of the ad hoc committee to oversee the sport, as the sports ministry had suspended the national federation.

Due to the suspension of the WFI, the organization was unable to conduct national competitions or hold selection trials for international events. Consequently, Indian wrestlers missed two crucial international ranking series this year, and their participation in the Asian Championships was also jeopardized. Recently, the high court expressed concerns regarding the absence of a competent body to conduct trials and select teams for international competitions. In response, the sports ministry informed the court that it was reviewing its suspension order against the WFI.

The case is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday.

In its directive, the sports ministry requested a report from the WFI by January 7 regarding the “corrective measures” implemented to address the concerns raised.

In its response, the WFI outlined the actions taken, which included the establishment of an Athletes Commission with voting rights, an Ethics Commission, and the formation of a Sexual Harassment Committee and Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) that operates at all WFI competitions and events, continuously gathering input from athletes regarding their well-being and safety.

The Ministry has reported that a "spot verification" was carried out to evaluate the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) assertions regarding the relocation of its office to new facilities. It emphasized that the conclusions drawn by the verification committee, along with the observations made by the court and the pressing need to guarantee uninterrupted participation of Indian wrestlers in international competitions, were taken into consideration.

Furthermore, the Ministry stated that WFI is required to "revert amendments made during the suspension period, establish a balance of power among the appointed office-bearers, and implement checks and balances in the decision-making process." WFI has been instructed to complete this task within one month.

Additionally, the Ministry specified that "any individual who has not been elected as an office-bearer, as well as any suspended or terminated salaried officials of WFI, must be entirely dissociated from the federation and its affiliated units."

The Ministry also mandated that the WFI must guarantee that selections for all international events are conducted in a manner that is free, fair, and transparent, in accordance with the provisions of the Sports Code and the regulations issued periodically by the United World Wrestling (UWW). The WFI is expected to uphold the Sports Code, principles of good governance, and the welfare of athletes.

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