United World Wrestling lifts WFI’s suspension with immediate effect

The United World Wrestling has lifted the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India 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.

After reviewing the ban on February 9, the UWW Bureau decided to lift it with some restrictions, such as requiring the WFI to reschedule its athletes' commission elections. Candidates for this commission must be current athletes or have only been out of the game for four years. Only athletes will be eligible to vote. No later than July 1, 2024, these elections must occur during trials or any senior national championships where this procedure is permitted.

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This implies that at the upcoming UWW tournament, Indian wrestlers will have the opportunity to represent their nation in the competition. 

The Indian wrestlers were required to compete under a UWW banner during the suspension. 

Furthermore, the national anthem was not to be played in the event that India's wrestlers placed first or second on the podium.

The UWW had threatened to suspend India in June after issuing a strong-worded statement denouncing the treatment and confinement of the protesting wrestlers, before suspending the WFI in August of last year.