UWW suspends WFI after missing election deadline, Indian wrestlers to play as neutral athletes at Worlds
The UWW has suspended the Wrestling Federation of India for delaying the elections, which will now bar the wrestlers from competing under the Indian flag at the World Championships 2023. The Championships are starting on September 16, and the wrestlers will have to play as neutral athletes.
This action was taken after the ad-hoc panel failed to comply with the 45-day deadline to conduct the fresh WFI elections. The panel was formed by the IOA on April 27, and four months have passed since then. The suspension also has not come as a surprise since on April 28, the UWW had warned the federation of the dire consequences, if the elections did not take place in time.
“The UWW communicated to the ad-hoc panel on Wednesday night that WFI has been suspended for not holding elections to its executive committee,” an IOA source told PTI. While the elections were scheduled to take place on May 7, the sports ministry had declared the process null and void.
The delays have been caused due to multiple state associations moving to the court to seek the right to participate in the elections.