WFI withdraws India from World Championship, writes to UWW about govt interference

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Wednesday withdrew the Indian team from the World Championship, conveying to world governing body, UWW, that the sports ministry is interfering with its autonomy. The senior World Championship in 12 non-Olympic categories is scheduled to be held in Tirana, Albania from October 28. The WFI had recently announced selection trials for the U23 and World Championship, which was challenged as contempt of court by the protesting wrestlers who questioned the legality of the selection by the suspended federation.

WFI withdrew the selection trials notice and the court, on October 4, decided



not to proceed with the contempt petition."Satyawart Kadian, the husband of Sakshi Malik, approached the court recently saying that the WFI should be charged with contempt of court. We won't be able to send the Indian team for the World Championship now, we have conveyed this to the UWW," a WFI source told PTI.

"This is all happening because of the ministry's suspension. There are no grounds to keep the suspension. If the ministry lifts the suspension, all these issues won't crop up. It's just pathetic that wrestlers have to suffer because of a few wrestlers and the ministry is not lifting the suspension," the source added.