India, March 5 -- The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has received approval from the sports ministry to send a team to the Asian Championships scheduled to take place in Amman, Jordan from March 25-30, as confirmed by WFI president Sanjay Singh on Wednesday.

This continental championship marks the first significant international event for Indian wrestlers since the Paris Olympics held last August. Although India participated in the World Championships for non-Olympic weight categories in Tirana, Albania last October, this upcoming event is particularly noteworthy.

Despite being recognized by United World Wrestling (UWW), the global governing body for the sport, WFI has been suspended by the sports ministry since December 2023. This ongoing suspension has adversely affected the athletes, with many, including Paris Games bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat, remaining out of competition for an extended period.

Last month, WFI was unable to send teams to the dual ranking series in Zagreb and Tirana due to the ministry's refusal to approve its proposal. However, the situation reportedly improved following Singh's meeting with sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya on February 23. It has been reported that the federation and the ministry have maintained regular communication since that meeting to address the issues at hand.

A sports ministry official stated, "We are committed to ensuring that the interests of the athletes are safeguarded. India will definitely participate in the Asian Championships."

The deadline for submitting entries for the competition was March 5, but teams are permitted to make adjustments to their rosters until March 18, one week prior to the event, according to a senior wrestling official. It has been indicated that WFI submitted the same team for ministry approval that was chosen for last month's Tirana Ranking Series, following the ministry's instruction to "select the team by adhering to proper procedures."

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is scheduled to host the Federation Cup on March 8 and 9 in Jalandhar, which is anticipated to draw elite wrestlers, including Antim Panghal, Udit, and Sujeet Kalkal. However, it is expected that Aman and Tokyo Olympian Deepak Punia will not participate in this event.

The top three competitors in each weight category from the Federation Cup, along with medallists from the national championships held last December, will subsequently take part in a talent identification event, from which the team for the Asian Championships will be selected.

"The talent identification event will take place on March 11 and 12 at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. Each weight class will feature 4-6 wrestlers across freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's categories," Singh stated.

Given that Indian wrestlers have missed two ranking series, the Asian Championships hold significant importance as it is a crucial event for qualifying for the World Championships. Additionally, the financially constrained WFI is facing a Rs. 44 lakh bill from the organizers of the two ranking series that India did not attend.

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