World body suspends Wrestling Federation of India for delaying elections

New Delhi: The United World Wrestling (UWW), the world governing body for wrestling, has suspended the WFI for not conducting its elections on time, a development that will not allow Indian grapplers to compete at the upcoming World Championships under the Indian flag. The Indian wrestlers will have to compete as 'neutral athletes' at the Olympic-qualifying World Championships starting September 16 as the ad-hoc panel, led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, did not honour the 45-day deadline for conducting the elections.

The IOA had appointed the ad-hoc panel on April 27 and the committee was supposed to hold elections within 45 days.

UWW had on April 28 warned that it could suspend the Indian federation if the deadline to hold elections is not honoured.

"The UWW communicated to the ad-hoc panel on Wednesday night that WFI has been suspended for not holding elections to its executive committee," an IOA source told PTI.

Originally, the WFI was to hold elections on May 7 but the Sports Ministry had declared the process as null and void.

The elections have been delayed multiple times with multiple disgruntled and disaffiliated state bodies moving the court, seeking the right to participate in the polls.