Ministry, WFI join hands to avoid further UWW confrontation

Vinayak Padmadeo

New Delhi, March 9

The Sports Ministry and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has worked out a middle ground where none of the parties run afoul of either the United World Wrestling (UWW) or the Delhi High Court.

As per the understanding, the referees who have been registered by the UWW will oversee the trials that will be held in Sonepat and Patiala on March 10-11.

Both the parties came to an understanding after realising that the wrestlers will ultimately suffer if the trials were to be held by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed ad hoc panel headed by Bhupinder Singh Bajwa.

Holding the trials became a contentious issue after the Delhi High Court and the UWW took divergent routes about whether or not WFI is authorised to run the affairs of the sport.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday had ruled that the upcoming trials to select the team for the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships and Asia Olympic Qualifier that is being held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from April 11-16 and 19-21, respectively, will be held by the ad hoc panel. This after both the IOA and Sports Ministry claimed that the WFI was not recognised by them.

However, a day later, UWW president Nenad Lalovic made it clear that the WFI is the only authorised body to select and announce teams for all continental, world championships and Olympics.

Lalovic’s letter forced the ministry officials into a compromise and they got in touch with the WFI to try and avert another stinging reaction from the UWW.

“The ad hoc body will have little or no role in the selection or sending of the teams. The selection will be conducted by a team of referees who are registered with the UWW and the final list will be sent by the WFI,” said a source.