India’s Wrestling Federation (WFI) President Sanjay Singh has declared his ambitions for the 2028 Olympic Games, aiming for a medal haul of 4-5 in women’s wrestling. However, he stressed that achieving this target hinges on a crucial factor – eliminating external interference in the federation’s daily operations. Despite the UWW (United World Wrestling) lifting its suspension of WFI in February following elections, the Sports Ministry’s suspension remains in place. This suspension was imposed on December 24th, just days after Singh’s election as President, due to the Ministry’s objections regarding the federation’s announcement of U-15 and U-20 Nationals without the required 15-day notice. The Ministry argued that this lack of notice would disrupt players’ preparation, while WFI countered that delaying the Nationals would lead to young wrestlers losing a year due to the 2023 season’s impending conclusion. In response to the Ministry’s directives, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) established an ad-hoc panel to manage the federation, which has since been dissolved. Yet, the Ministry has not revoked its suspension of WFI.
Singh voiced his concerns directly, stating, “If WFI is allowed to do its work independently and a couple of institutions stop interfering in our functioning, we can get the country four to five medals in women’s wrestling in the next Olympics.” His comments come on the heels of India’s U17 women’s wrestling team achieving a remarkable World Championship victory in Amman, with five Indian wrestlers clinching world champion titles, one securing silver, and two earning bronze.
In addition to his Olympic aspirations, Singh extended an appeal to celebrated wrestler Vinesh Phogat to reconsider her retirement decision. Phogat, who announced her retirement after missing a medal at the Paris Olympics due to an overweight disqualification, has been vocal about her concerns regarding the state of Indian wrestling. Singh acknowledges Vinesh’s contributions and the inspirational role she plays for the new generation of wrestlers. “If Vinesh Phogat has to play pure wrestling, she should reconsider her decision of retirement as the new generation of women wrestlers will get inspiration from her and move forward. “The way she is sharing a political platform nowadays, if she has to do politics (in future), then she should not do politics in wrestling,” he remarked, further clarifying that he would fully support Vinesh should she choose to return to competitive wrestling.
Singh’s comments on Vinesh’s potential political aspirations echo a broader concern regarding the growing influence of politics within the wrestling community. He explicitly stated his desire to keep politics separate from wrestling, drawing a connection between the politicization of the sport and the disappointing results at the Paris Olympics, where India secured only one medal despite initial expectations of six. He attributed the subpar performance to a prolonged halt in wrestling activities stemming from an alleged sexual harassment case against the former WFI president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, which triggered a significant movement by Indian wrestlers.
Looking forward, WFI is actively exploring the establishment of a wrestling academy in Ujjain, a religious city in Madhya Pradesh. The academy’s development is currently under discussion with the state’s Chief Minister, Mohan Yadav, who also serves as the president of the state’s wrestling association. This initiative reflects WFI’s commitment to fostering a strong foundation for future generations of Indian wrestlers, ensuring the continued success of the sport.
