The United World Wrestling (UWW) has today taken the decision to suspend the membership of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) indefinitely.
It is learned that Reason behind the suspension lies behind the postponement of Elections to designations in WFI due to Protests and Legal Battles.
Due to the suspension, the Indian wrestlers won't be able to compete with an Indian flag at the upcoming World Championships. They will compete as 'neutral athletes' at the Olympic-qualifying World Championships starting September 16. It is learned that the ad-hoc panel led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa failed to honour the 45-day deadline for conducting the elections.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had appointed the ad-hoc panel on April 27 this year and were supposed to hold the elections within 45 days. The Wrestling body, UWW, warned the panel the following day that it could suspend the WFI if they failed to hold the elections within the stipulated deadline.
"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.
Originally, the WFI was to hold elections on May 7 but the Sports Ministry had declared the process as null and void.
The elections have been delayed multiple times with multiple disgruntled and disaffiliated state bodies moving the court, seeking the right to participate in the polls.
(With PTI Inputs)
