CHENNAI: Thursday witnessed frenetic activities as far as Indian wrestling is concerned. Already in the soup since January last year, the sport plunged to a new low when the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) decided not to field a team at the senior World Championships - Non-Olympic Weight Categories scheduled in Tirana, Albania from October 28 to 31.
The WFI also wrote to the world governing body, United World Wrestling, apprising it of interference in its autonomy by the sports ministry (MYAS) and requested it to invoke Article 6.3 of the UWW Regulations. A letter has also been sent to the sports minister by the federation wherein it alleged that wrestlers of the country are suffering due to an 'illegal letter' by the MYAS wherein it suspended the WFI.
Meanwhile, hours after receiving the letter, the UWW on Thursday decided to put forth the WFI's letter before its executive board. A decision on this is expected after Friday and the same will be communicated to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Given the state of affairs in Indian wrestling, the UWW may once again ban the WFI as it did last year before revoking it months later.
"The decision will be taken by the executive board of the UWW day after tomorrow (Friday)," Nenad Lalovic, UWW chief, told TNIE. "I understand that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is not on the same page with the government. The UWW decision will also be copied to the IOC," added Lalovic.
A total of 12 wrestlers in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman and women's freestyle are scheduled to leave for Albania on Friday night but the latest developments meant there is a chance that they would not board the flight unless the sports ministry revokes its order of suspension dated December 24, 2023.
"We have been requesting the ministry to revoke the suspension order for a long time but that's not happening. Because of the order, several pleas have been filed in the courts. The wrestlers have filed a contempt petition because of which we have to withdraw our circular for the selection trials for the senior Worlds. Again a contempt petition was filed challenging WFI's decision to send the team to Albania. It's better not to send the team till the time the ministry withdraws its order," Sanjay Kumar Singh, the WFI president, told TNIE.
After the suspension of the federation last year, the IOA constituted an ad-hoc panel to run the day-to-day affairs of the body. The panel was disbanded in March after the UWW lifted its ban on the WFI in February. However, the protesting wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian filed a petition in the court earlier this year demanding the appointment of an administrator to run the federation.
While hearing the petition, the Delhi High Court in its order in August said that the IOA's decision to dissolve the ad-hoc committee was incompatible with the sports ministry's suspension order. It said that until the suspension order was recalled, it was necessary for the ad-hoc committee to manage the federation's affairs.
The IOA, though, told the court that it cannot re-constitute the panel. "As a member of the UWW, we formally request you to invoke Article 6.3 of the UWW Regulations and take appropriate action. Further, we also request you to forward this as a formal complaint to the IOC as the autonomy of the National Federations is severely being compromised due to constant interference by the MYAS so that the MYAS cannot get any privileges and support of the IOA in any future events of the IOC as well," read the letter written to the UWW.
Article 6.3 of the UWW Constitution states, "Affiliated and Associated Members shall govern and administer their activities independently. They shall preserve their autonomy without influence by any political, religious or economic pressures. Governments and other public authorities shall only be entitled to verify the use of their financial grants by the National Federations."
In this situation, only the ministry can end the deadlock now by taking back its suspension order and not only allowing the Indian wrestlers to compete in the Worlds but also saving the WFI from the ignominy of facing yet another ban from the UWW.