NEW DELHI: WFI President Sanjay Singh on Monday said that India has the potential to secure 4-5 medals in women’s wrestling at the 2028 Olympic Games, but emphasized that interference from certain institutions in the national federation’s daily functioning needs to stop.
Despite the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) having its suspension lifted by the world governing body UWW in February post elections, the Sports Ministry’s suspension of WFI continues.
The Ministry suspended WFI on December 24, just three days after elections that saw Sanjay Singh named the new President.
The Ministry’s actions followed WFI’s announcement to host U-15 and U-20 Nationals just hours after the election, which the Ministry claimed was against the rules due to a lack of the required 15-day notice for players’ preparation.
WFI argued that delaying the Nationals by 15 days would result in young wrestlers losing a year as the 2023 season would have concluded by then. Following directives from the Ministry, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) set up an ad-hoc panel to manage the federation, but the panel has since been dissolved. However, the Ministry has not lifted its suspension of WFI.
“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,” Sanjay Singh told PTI.
Sanjay Singh’s comments come just days after India’s U17 women’s team won the World title in Amman. Five Indian wrestlers emerged as world champions, and additionally, one wrestler won a silver and two won bronze medals.
Sanjay Singh also called on wrestler Vinesh Phogat to reconsider her retirement decision. Vinesh had announced her retirement from wrestling after missing out on a medal at the Paris Olympics. She was disqualified due to being 100 grams overweight before the women’s 50kg final.
“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.”
Regarding speculations that Vinesh might enter the political arena, Sanjay Singh chose not to comment, acknowledging that it was a personal matter for the 30-year-old.
He affirmed that he would fully support Vinesh if she decided to return to competitive wrestling.
Sanjay Singh highlighted the lessons learned from the events of 2023, which saw a significant movement launched by Indian wrestlers against the former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over an alleged sexual harassment case.
“We were expecting Indian wrestlers to win six medals in the Paris Olympics but wrestling activities were stopped for 18 months under the conspiracy of anti-national forces. Due to this movement, the country could get only one medal in the Olympics,” he said.
“I want to keep wrestling and politics separate. So I don’t want to name anyone who started this movement, but it is because of politics entering wrestling that this fate has happened to wrestling at the Paris Olympics,” he said.
He also informed that WFI is considering opening a wrestling academy in Ujjain, the religious city of Madhya Pradesh.
The state Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is the president of the state wrestling association.
“Initial discussion with the chief minister regarding the plan to open a wrestling academy in Ujjain is already underway,” he added.
Despite the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) having its suspension lifted by the world governing body UWW in February post elections, the Sports Ministry’s suspension of WFI continues.
The Ministry suspended WFI on December 24, just three days after elections that saw Sanjay Singh named the new President.
The Ministry’s actions followed WFI’s announcement to host U-15 and U-20 Nationals just hours after the election, which the Ministry claimed was against the rules due to a lack of the required 15-day notice for players’ preparation.
WFI argued that delaying the Nationals by 15 days would result in young wrestlers losing a year as the 2023 season would have concluded by then. Following directives from the Ministry, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) set up an ad-hoc panel to manage the federation, but the panel has since been dissolved. However, the Ministry has not lifted its suspension of WFI.
“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,” Sanjay Singh told PTI.
Sanjay Singh’s comments come just days after India’s U17 women’s team won the World title in Amman. Five Indian wrestlers emerged as world champions, and additionally, one wrestler won a silver and two won bronze medals.
Sanjay Singh also called on wrestler Vinesh Phogat to reconsider her retirement decision. Vinesh had announced her retirement from wrestling after missing out on a medal at the Paris Olympics. She was disqualified due to being 100 grams overweight before the women’s 50kg final.
“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.”
Regarding speculations that Vinesh might enter the political arena, Sanjay Singh chose not to comment, acknowledging that it was a personal matter for the 30-year-old.
He affirmed that he would fully support Vinesh if she decided to return to competitive wrestling.
Sanjay Singh highlighted the lessons learned from the events of 2023, which saw a significant movement launched by Indian wrestlers against the former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over an alleged sexual harassment case.
“We were expecting Indian wrestlers to win six medals in the Paris Olympics but wrestling activities were stopped for 18 months under the conspiracy of anti-national forces. Due to this movement, the country could get only one medal in the Olympics,” he said.
“I want to keep wrestling and politics separate. So I don’t want to name anyone who started this movement, but it is because of politics entering wrestling that this fate has happened to wrestling at the Paris Olympics,” he said.
He also informed that WFI is considering opening a wrestling academy in Ujjain, the religious city of Madhya Pradesh.
The state Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is the president of the state wrestling association.
“Initial discussion with the chief minister regarding the plan to open a wrestling academy in Ujjain is already underway,” he added.
