New Delhi: The United World Wrestling (UWW) has threatened to suspend India if the political interference in the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) does not end soon. The UWW President Nenad Lalovic categorically said that WFI’s autonomy must be upheld.
The Sports Ministry suspended the WFI just two days after the federation conducted its election in December 2023. After the ministry suspension, wrestler Satyawart Kadian filed a petition in Delhi court questioning the federation’s authority to select Indian teams for the tournaments.
As a result, the Indian wrestling teams almost missed out on participating in the World Championship. The Sports Ministry after clearing the teams said that it would review the suspension of the WFI. Even the court asked the ministry to clear its stand on the suspension and re-instated ad-hoc panel but the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) declined to follow the orders, saying it was not necessary. The Indian government also invited WFI President Sanjay to attend a few meetings as the federation’s authorised representative.
‘UWW does not accept any interference by the public and political authorities’: President Nenad Lalovic
The UWW President Nenad Lalovic wrote to Sanjay Singh that the world governing body accepts WFI as the only interlocutor for all the matters related to the sport of wrestling in India and its representation on the international level. He further wrote that the UWW does not accept any interference by the political and public authorities on the internal matters of its member federations, except for what concerns the control of the use of public grants to the national federations.
“This principle of autonomy and independence is provided by article 6.3 of the UWW Constitution as well as the Olympic Charter, and shall be strictly followed by all our member federations. Finally, and as also mentioned in previous correspondences, suspension measures will be considered should the autonomy of your federation not be upheld fully and for the long term” Lalovic wrote.
If the world governing body suspend India for political interference then the country’s wrestlers will not be allowed to participate in future international competitions.
“See, the national camps are already on hold due to suspension. There is no ground to keep suspension. If the ministry does not end suspension and resultantly WFI is banned by UWW, it will be a massive loss for the sport and the country’s wrestlers” a WFI source said to PTI.
The world governing body for wrestling has threatened to suspend India if the political interference in the Wrestling Federation Of India (WFI) affairs doesn’t end soon. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
