India’s participation in World Wrestling Championships scrapped – The Week

The Union government on Friday cleared the Indian wrestling team to participate in the World Championships after all the 12 selected athletes gathered outside his residence. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya called for his interventiona day after the WFI withdrew the nation’s entries from the prestigious tournament.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was on Thursday forced to withdraw all three Indian teams from the championships after wrestler Satyawart Kadian, husband of Sakshi Malik, went to court against the federation’s decision to hold trials for the U23 and senior Worlds.

Kadian argued that since WFI is suspended, it has committed contempt of court by making the decisions.

The WFI remains suspended by the ministry and the IOA has refused to reinstate the ad-hoc panel, leaving the sport and the future of fighters in limbo. The world governing body UWW, however, lifted the suspension of the WFI in February this year.

“A group of wrestlers met me and informed me about their issue and concern. I gave the direction that the court case will continue in court but the wrestlers have to compete in the World Championships. They should have that opportunity. Regardless and wherever I need to do it, I did it,” Mandaviya told reporters.

The assembled group of fighters met the minister along with WFI president Sanjay Singh. The interaction lasted about an hour.

“I have discussed the matter with the minister who has assured that they will take responsibility if the federation is held in contempt and has allowed the team to participate. The tickets have already been booked and the team will leave as scheduled on Sunday morning,” said Sanjay Singh .

Asked if the government had also given assurances about lifting the suspension, Sanjay Singh said, “The ministry said it will review it. It can take about a month.”

But Mandaviya remained jobless and did not give a clear answer.

“The government is clear, all the federations can work as they want, the government is just helping them. The sport should grow in the country and our players should do well both nationally and internationally,” he said.

During the day, all 12 wrestlers who won the trials for the World Championships sat down in front of the minister’s residence and asked for his intervention.

“It takes 10-12 years to get to this stage where you get to qualify for the World Championships and now that opportunity is being taken away from us. What is our fault?” Mansha Bhanwala, who made the cut in the women’s 65 kg category, told PTI earlier in the day.

“These protesting fighters are done with their careers, why are they playing with ours? The junior fighters do not need their support. If we are not sent to the World Championships, we will start a protest of our own,” she said.

Manisha, winner of two bronze medals at the Asian Championships, was relieved that she will now travel to Albania for the competition.

“I explained the problem to the minister. He listened to us patiently. He assured us all the help. He even discussed how the government plans to support the athletes when India hosts the Olympics,” she said after the meeting.

Manisha was accompanied by fellow wrestlers Mansi Ahlawat (59kg), who won a gold in Almaty last year and a bronze medal at the UWW Ranking Series event in Tunis, Kirti (55kg) and Bipasha (72kg).

Four men’s freestyle wrestlers Udit (61 kg), Manish Goswami (70 kg), Parvinder Singh (79 kg), Sandeep Mann (92 kg) and as many Greco-Roman exponents Sanjeev (55 kg), Chetan (63 kg) , Ankit Gulia (72 kg) and Rohit Dahiya (82 kg) also sat on the pavement in front of the minister’s residence after traveling from Haryana.

The fighters first moved the court but were told that their petition could not be heard on Friday and that they could get a hearing date.

They then moved to the sports minister’s residence, but could only meet him in the evening.

The WFI cited government “interference” in its autonomy as it notified the world governing body UWW that it was withdrawing its records.

The World Senior Championship in 12 non-Olympic categories is scheduled to take place in Tirana, Albania, from October 28.

The WFI recently announced selection processes for the U23 and World Championships, which were challenged as contempt of court by protesting wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart, who questioned the legality of the selection by WFI.