A day after the union sports ministry lifted the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), efforts to rejuvenate the sport began. WFI’s primary focus is on re-establishing a structured domestic calendar, resuming national training camps, and sending teams for international tournaments and exposure trips.
On Wednesday, WFI removed the selection criteria for trials ahead of the Asian Wrestling Championships, allowing medallists from all major international events to compete. The trials are scheduled for Saturday.
Wrestlers from the Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) were unable to participate in this year’s senior nationals in Bengaluru due to WFI’s suspension. “Many of our top wrestlers have expressed their desire to compete. Medallists from the World Championships (senior and junior), Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and Paris Olympians are eligible for the trials. Given the numerous missed competitions, we want to ensure no one is left out,” said a WFI official.
Among those competing are Paris Olympics medallist Aman Sehrawat, as well as Olympians Deepak Punia, Antim Panghal, and Reetika Hooda. These trials will also determine national campers (four per weight category), marking the first national camps in nearly two years. Due to the prolonged suspension, wrestlers had been training individually, hoping for a resolution. India’s absence from two ranking series events in Croatia and Albania earlier this year, along with six missed tournaments overall, underscored the urgency of lifting the suspension.
Paris Olympian and U23 World medallist Reetika Hooda expressed relief over the development. “The situation was grim, and our future felt uncertain. Now, there is celebration in our akhada,” she told HT.
She highlighted how the lack of national camps affected young wrestlers. “Many young athletes and their parents considered quitting the sport. Camps provide exposure to different training partners, superior facilities, and discipline, which are crucial for international success,” she added.
The last two years have seen a drastic reduction in national competitions. In 2022, WFI organized 18 domestic tournaments, including five National Championships (Senior, U15, U17, U20, and U23), as well as Federation Cups, Open Ranking Nationals, and Grand Prix events. However, in 2023, only five tournaments took place, with separate senior nationals conducted by WFI and the IOA’s ad hoc committee.
To restore competitive momentum, WFI plans to restart the domestic calendar in April, ensuring young wrestlers gain the necessary international exposure. The governance crisis has severely impacted emerging talent in a sport that has consistently won India Olympic medals since Beijing 2008.
