Indian wrestlers won’t be able to compete at the upcoming World Championships under the Indian flag as Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has been suspended by UWW, the world governing body for wrestling, over election delay.
However, the athletes would be able to compete as ‘neutral athletes’ at the Olympic-qualifying World Championships starting September 16 as the ad-hoc panel, led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, did not honour the 45-day deadline for conducting the elections.
The IOA formed an ad-hoc panel on April 27, tasked with conducting elections within 45 days. The UWW cautioned on April 28 that not meeting the election deadline could lead to the suspension of India’s federation.
“The UWW communicated to the ad-hoc panel on Wednesday night that WFI has been suspended for not holding elections to its executive committee,” an IOA source told PTI.
Originally, the WFI was to hold elections on May 7 but the Sports Ministry had declared the process as null and void.
The elections have been delayed multiple times with multiple disgruntled and disaffiliated state bodies moving the court, seeking the right to participate in the polls.
Punjab and Haryana High Court stay WFI elections
The Punjab and Haryana High Court earlier this month stayed the WFI elections slated for August 12 until further orders.
The order came on a petition filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association challenging the move to allow the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association to cast votes in the polls.
Advocate Ravinder Malik, representing Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA), which is headed by MP Deepinder Hooda said Haryana Wrestling association is a registered society in the state of Haryana and is affiliated to the WFI.
According to the election rules and constitution of the WFI, any registered affiliated body can send two representatives to cast their votes for the polls, he stated.
He said that one more body, the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association has claimed that it was affiliated to the WFI as well as the Haryana Olympic Association.
Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association further claimed that the HWA has no business to participate in the election process because they are not affiliated to the WFI.
“The returning officer has given the finding in favour of Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association, saying they fulfil the condition of affiliation with WFI as well as Haryana Olympic Association,” said the advocate.
“We have challenged the returning officer’s order in the HC, saying that the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association may be affiliated to the WFI but it is not affiliated to the HOA, meaning thereby they are not entitled to participate in the poll process,” said Malik.
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Updated: 24 Aug 2023, 12:39 PM IST
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