The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has lifted the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), reinstating its recognition as a National Sports Federation (NSF). This decision comes after a turbulent period for the WFI, which saw protests and controversies involving top wrestlers and leadership changes.
The Sports Ministry had initially suspended the WFI following the announcement by newly elected president Sanjay Singh in December 2023, regarding the hosting of the U-15 and U-20 nationals in Nandini Nagar, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. This came after several prominent wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, led protests against the WFI’s former president, Brij Bhushan Singh, accusing him of sexual assault.
In August 2023, United World Wrestling (UWW) imposed a ban on the WFI due to its failure to conduct elections within the required timeline amidst the sexual harassment allegations against Singh. This led to the formation of an ad-hoc committee by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to oversee the WFI’s operations.
After elections in late December 2023, Sanjay Singh was elected as the new president. However, his election was contested by the protesting wrestlers, who accused him of being a close associate of Brij Bhushan. This dispute prompted the Ministry to suspend the federation once again, shortly after Singh’s announcement about the upcoming U-15 and U-20 nationals.
To manage the federation during this period, the IOA appointed another ad-hoc committee. However, in March 2024, the IOA dissolved the committee, stating that there was no longer a need for it following the lifting of the UWW’s ban on the WFI and the successful completion of selection trials for future competitions. UWW had lifted its suspension on the WFI in February 2024, signaling the restoration of the federation’s status.
With the suspension now lifted, the Wrestling Federation of India is once again recognized as the governing body for wrestling in the country.
