UWW lifts Wrestling Federation of India’s suspension with immediate effect | Sport-others News

The United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday lifted the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) with immediate effect.
“UWW had placed the WFI under provisional suspension on August 23 last year after the Indian body failed to hold an election in due course. The UWW Disciplinary Chamber decided that it had sufficient grounds to impose the provisional suspension on the body as the situation in the federation prevailed for at least six months,” a statement from the body announced.
On February 9, the UWW Bureau met to review the suspension and decided to lift the suspension under some conditions, like the WFI has to re-convene the elections of its Athletes’ Commission. The candidates for this commission shall be active athletes or retired for no longer than four years. The voters shall be exclusively athletes. These elections shall take place during trials or any senior national championships where this operation can take place, but no later than July 1, 2024.

#BreakingNews: United World Wrestling has lifted the suspension of Wrestling Federation of Indiahttps://t.co/3hA5QRlKvr
— United World Wrestling (@wrestling) February 13, 2024
“The WFI has to immediately provide UWW with written guarantees that all wrestlers will be considered for participation without any discrimination in all WFI events, in particular trials for the Olympic Games and any other major national and international events. This non-discrimination includes the three athletes who protested against alleged wrongdoings the former President,” the statement added alleging to the protests spearheaded Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and the since-retired Sakshi Malik.
This also means that Indian wrestlers will be able to compete under their country’s flag at the next UWW event. Under the suspension, the Indian wrestlers had to compete under a UWW flag. Moreover, in case India’s wrestlers finished on top of the podium, the national anthem was not to be played.
Before suspending the WFI in August last year, the UWW had threatened to suspend India in June as well when it issued a strongly-worded statement condemning the treatment and detention of the protesting wrestlers.