The United World Wrestling (UWW) body on Tuesday lifted the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India, UWW confirmed. The Indian Wrestling body was under provisional suspension since August 23 for not being able to hold elections. After a meeting, the suspension has been lifted with immediate effect.
"The United World Wrestling has lifted the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India with immediate effect. UWW had placed the WFI under provisional suspension on August 23 last year after the Indian body failed to hold an election in due course. The UWW Disciplinary Chamber decided that it had sufficient grounds to impose the provisional suspension on the body as the situation in the federation prevailed for at least six months," UWW said in a statement.
The UWW Bureau had a meeting on February 9 and had the WFI suspension topic on the agenda for discussion. The body decided to lift the suspension but on a few conditions.
The International body has said that the WFI will have to re-convene the elections of its Athletes' Commission and the candidates for it shall be "active athletes or retired for no longer than four years." It also said that WFI has to "immediately provide" the International body with "written guarantees" that every wrestler will be considered for participation in WFI events without any discrimination.
The conditions read:
- The WFI has to re-convene the elections of its Athletes’ Commission. The candidates for this commission shall be active athletes or retired for no longer than four years. The voters shall be exclusively athletes. These elections shall take place during trials or any senior national championships where this operation can take place, but no later than July 1, 2024.
- The WFI has to immediately provide UWW with written guarantees that all wrestlers will be considered for participation without any discrimination in all WFI events, in particular trials for the Olympic Games and any other major national and international events. This non-discrimination includes the three athletes who protested against alleged wrongdoings by the former President.
Indian wrestlers can play under the India flag now
The lifting of the suspension also means that the Indian wrestlers can now compete under the flag of their country and not under the UWW flag, which was the case during the suspension time. From the next UWW event onwards, they will be able to do so.
The UWW body added that it will remain in touch with the wrestlers and will "follow up with them in the coming days."
