Aman Sehrawat, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist, will miss the chance to defend his title at the upcoming Zagreb Open next week, due to a lack of clearance from the sports ministry. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has been under suspension since December 2023, preventing it from securing necessary authorizations for participation in major events. Sehrawat is not alone in facing this setback; other Indian freestyle and greco-roman wrestlers have also been forced to miss the prestigious ranking series tournament, which is crucial for seeding in the upcoming World Wrestling Championships.
The WFI had submitted entries for the tournament, scheduled to take place from February 5-9 in Croatia, well in advance. However, despite multiple reminders to the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the required clearance did not arrive in time. With the Croatian embassy in Delhi closing ahead of the weekend, the team’s participation was officially called off. The federation has also faced issues with the SAI over its derecognition, leading to missed opportunities at two international tournaments in Belarus and Egypt in late 2023.
This ongoing issue highlights the complications Indian wrestlers face due to the suspension of their governing body, hampering their ability to compete on the international stage.
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