Indian wrestling is still down on the mat

The United World Wrestling (UWW), which is the game’s worldwide governing physique, lifted the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India final week. The UWW, on August 23, 2023, banned the Indian wrestling physique for failing to carry elections throughout the required interval and for working and not using a president for six months. The UWW’s resolution got here with some circumstances although. It urged a assure for non-discrimination in opposition to the protesting wrestlers (Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and others) and in addition mentioned the WFI must re-convene the elections of its Athletes’ Fee no later than July 1, 2024. The rapid impression of the choice is that the Indian wrestlers will now be capable to compete underneath the nationwide flag on the UWW occasions.

However the protesting wrestlers aren’t pleased with the choice as a result of it means the faction managed by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, which gained the elections in December 2023, will probably be operating the present. The wrestlers have dashed off a letter of protest to the UWW and the sports activities ministry. As issues stand, there’s little that the ministry can do. It had already suspended WFI and on condition that the elections have been held in a good method, there is no such thing as a cause for UWW to vary its resolution. On this situation, the most suitable choice for the wrestlers could be to take the matter to court docket and ask for the elections themselves to be declared null and void.

This may nonetheless not remedy the issue although because the physique has many Singh loyalists throughout India. To actually change issues, the physique itself will should be reformed and that may be a course of that may take time. Parachuting a candidate to the highest publish will not be the answer Indian wrestling, a sport that has fetched worldwide popularity of the nation, wants.