United World Wrestling is the wrestling organistion that oversees world events in wrestling field. They have banned WFI – Wrestling Federation of India and there by participation of Indian wrestlers in world events under Indian flag in August 2023. They took this decision due to multiple allegations and wrestlers’ prolonged protest against then president BJP MP Brij Bhushan. Indian Government had to interfere and push Brij Bhushan to resign and dissolve his board.
UWW had asked WFI to hold elections pending for new WFI organising board but failing to meet their deadline, they imposed the ban. Now, they have decided to provisionally lift the ban. UWW, in a press release, laid following conditions to life the suspension. “The UWW Bureau met on February 9 to review the suspension among other topics and considering all the elements and information, it decided to lift the suspension under the following conditions:
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.
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.
UWW remains in touch with the wrestlers and will follow up with them in the coming days.
This also means that Indian wrestlers will be able to compete under their country’s flag at the next UWW event. Under the suspension, the Indian wrestlers had to compete under a UWW flag.”
New board has been constituted after elections in WFI but government had dismissed the board and appointed ad-hoc committee under Indian Olympic Association following objections raised by wrestlers. Now, the board is recognised by UWW but not by Indian government. Well, ad-hoc committee will review and take a decision about the same after discussions with government in near future.
WFI has invited Sakshi Mallik, who retired, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat who have given up their Arjun Awards and medals to participate in trials. IOA’s ad-hoc has been overseeing these trials and holding National competitions but WFI will be taking care of them now, as UWW lifted the suspension. But will Indian and Wrestlers, Athletes come to same consesus about the participation and working in tandem, we have to wait and see.
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