The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and an ad hoc committee clash over scheduling trials for the Olympic qualifiers and the Asian Championships. Both bodies have set March 10-11 as the dates for these crucial trials, creating confusion among wrestlers and stakeholders.
WFI President Sanjay Singh announced that trials would be held on March 10-11 in New Delhi to select teams for the Asian Championships and the Asia qualifier for the Paris Olympics. However, the ad hoc committee, currently running wrestling administration in India, had also scheduled trials on the same dates, albeit in different locations - Patiala for men and Sonipat for women.
This clash in scheduling has added to the existing confusion within the wrestling community, especially considering WFI's recent reinstatement by the United World Wrestling (UWW), despite remaining suspended by the Indian sports ministry. The world wrestling body's decision to accept entries through WFI further complicates the situation.
The protesting wrestlers, including Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat, have expressed dissatisfaction with WFI's leadership and threatened to revive their agitation. Some of India's top wrestlers, including Bajrang, are training abroad in anticipation of the Olympic qualifiers.
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While WFI members have met with sports ministry officials to request the lifting of their suspension, tensions persist. Confusion also arose from the organization of two separate senior nationals by WFI and the ad hoc committee, held within a week of each other in Pune and Jaipur, respectively.
Despite the turmoil, only Antim Panghal has secured an Olympic quota place for India in the 53kg category, with a direct entry for the Asian Championships granted by the ad hoc committee.
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