File image of Mansukh Mandaviya.© NDTV

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Wednesday withdrew the Indian team from the World Championship, conveying to world governing body, UWW, that the sports ministry is interfering with its autonomy. The senior World Championship in 12 non-Olympic categories is scheduled to be held in Tirana, Albania from October 28. The WFI had recently announced selection trials for the U23 and World Championship, which was challenged as contempt of court by the protesting wrestlers who questioned the legality of the selection by the suspended federation.

WFI withdrew the selection trials notice and the court, on October 4, decided not to proceed with the contempt petition.

“Satyawart Kadian, the husband of Sakshi Malik, approached the court recently saying that the WFI should be charged with contempt of court. We won’t be able to send the Indian team for the World Championship now, we have conveyed this to the UWW,” a WFI source told PTI.

“This is all happening because of the ministry’s suspension. There are no grounds to keep the suspension. If the ministry lifts the suspension, all these issues won’t crop up. It’s just pathetic that wrestlers have to suffer because of a few wrestlers and the ministry is not lifting the suspension,” the source added.

The WFI was suspended by the Sports Ministry on December 24 soon after the polls were conducted to elect the new office-bearers.

“Unfortunately, the MYAS (ministry) continues to interfere in the autonomy of the WFI. The MYAS has ordered on 24th December 2023 to the WFI to cease and desist from discharging the day to day administration of WFI and had directed the Indian Olympic Association (NOC of India) to make an Ad-Hoc Committee for governance of WFI,” WFI President Sanjay Singh wrote in his letter to UWW President Nenad Lalovic.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), though, had disbanded the ad-hoc panel managing the Federation in March this year after UWW lifted the ban on WFI in February.

WFI put on record support from the PT Usha-led Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

“Though the IOA through its President Ms. PT Usha had supported the WFI in the case, it is the MYAS that is the problem creator because of their letter of 24th December 2023 which is being used as a tool to interfere in the administration of the WFI by the wrestlers.” The WFI began to function but wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and her husband Satyawart filed a plea before the court for appointing an administrator to manage the sports body.

In an interim order, the court said that the IOA’s decision to dissolve the ad-hoc committee was incompatible with the sports ministry’s suspension order.

It said that until the suspension order was recalled, it was necessary for the ad-hoc committee to manage the federation’s affairs. The IOA, though, told the court that it cannot re-constitute the panel.

The WFI has now asked UWW to invoke article 6.3 of UWW Regulations and take appropriate action and also use Thursday’s communication as a complaint to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Article 6.3 of the UWW Constitution states that, “Affiliated and Associated Members shall govern and administer their activities independently. They shall preserve their autonomy without influence by any political, religious or economic pressures.” “Governments and other public authorities shall only be entitled to verify the use of their financial grants by the National Federations.” In the Olympic year, World Championships are held in four categories in each of the three styles — men’s freestyle, women and greco-roman — instead of all 10.

Indian teams:

Men’s freestyle: Udit (61kg), Manish Goswami (70kg), Parvinder Singh (79kg), Sandeep Mann (92kg).

Greco-Roman: Sanjeev (55kg), Chetan (63kg), Ankit Gulia (72kg), Rohit Dahiya (82kg).

Women: Kirti (55kg), Mansi (59kg), Manisha (65kg), Bipasha (72kg).

One of India’s top women wrestlers Sakshi Malik will come out with her memoir in October in which she gives an “honest account” of her life — the highs, lows, and everything in between. Published by Juggernaut Books, “Witness” is co-authored by Jonathan Selvaraj. In her fiery memoir, Malik tells her story beginning from childhood, introduction to wrestling in Rohtak, win in the Rio Olympics, post-Olympics journey, struggles and triumphs over injuries and self-doubt, and finally, the most recent public battle with the administration of Wrestling Foundation of India (WFI) that has played out on the streets of New Delhi.

Interspersed throughout her story are fascinating insights into the world of women’s wrestling in India — training, camp life, body image, dating, finances, and what it takes to be an elite international wrestler, Juggernaut said in a statement.

“It’s a really honest account of my life – the highs, lows, and everything in between. I gave this book my all and I hope readers like it,” says Malik of her literary venture. According to Chiki Sarkar, publisher of Juggernaut Books, “Witness” is “one of the great memoirs of our time – Sakshi has written a no-holds barred book”.

“It not only talks about her struggles with the Wrestling Foundation of India but also brings vividly alive her childhood, the world of wrestling and what it takes to be an Olympic medalist. We are extremely proud to be publishing this milestone book,” she added.

In December 2023, Malik quit professional wrestling. She was, at that point, India’s best known woman wrestler — the first and only woman wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics with fights both ongoing and ahead of her.