Delhi High Court Disposes Of WFI Petition; Restores Recognition

The Delhi High Court has disposed of the petition filed by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), following a significant update in the case.

During the hearing, advocate Jayant Mehta, representing the Sports Ministry, informed the court that the Sports Ministry had lifted the suspension of the WFI and immediately reinstated the federation’s recognition.

In response to the update, the bench, led by Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, closed the hearing.

Mehta also conveyed the Sports Ministry’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted participation of Indian wrestlers in international competitions, highlighting the importance of timely decisions to allow athletes to compete.

WFI Challenges Ad-Hoc Panel Reconstitution

The WFI had previously challenged the order granting the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) the freedom to reconstitute an ad hoc panel to manage the federation’s affairs.

The court had earlier expressed concern over the absence of a competent body to select wrestlers for international events, calling the situation ‘painful’.

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The case stemmed from a petition filed by prominent wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Satyavrat Kadian. The WFI had contested an interim order passed by a single bench on August 16, 2024.

This order stated that the IOA’s decision to dissolve the ad hoc committee was inconsistent with the Sports Ministry’s order, which had suspended the WFI following its elections in December of the previous year.

The single bench had determined that the ad hoc committee must continue managing the federation until the suspension was officially lifted.

Impact On International Wrestling Participation

The court’s ruling clarifies the importance of adhering to the self-recognized structure of the Indian Wrestling Federation, as the world governing body, United World Wrestling, only accepts athletes selected by such recognized organizations for international events.

With the WFI’s suspension now officially lifted, Indian wrestlers can once again participate in global competitions under the governance of the reinstated federation.