Off the mat issues haunted Wrestling Federation of India in an Olympic year; respite unlikely in next season

Year Ender 2024: Wrestling - the most successful of all the disciplines at the Olympic Games since 2008 - witnessed a topsy-turvy season that almost derailed all the good work done in the recent past.

A bronze medal by Delhi-based freestyle wrestler Aman Sherawat at the Paris Olympic Games held in France between July 26 to August 11, was the only saving grace.

Off-the-mat issues hit the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)---the national governing body of wrestling in India since January 2023 and tremors will continue to be felt as the world governing body of wrestling - United World Wrestling - has ignored WFI's request to allot continental competitions to India in 2025 season.

A mammoth protest in 2023 by elite wrestlers including Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and World medallist Vinesh Phogat in January against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for his alleged role in sexual harassment of female wrestlers not only derailed the Paris Olympic Games preparation but impacted India hosting 2023 Senior Asian Wrestling Championships sanctioned by United World Wrestling in New Delhi.

Continental competitions on the home soil have huge benefits. Apart from home ground advantage, it gives fan followers the opportunity to witness quality matches. India last hosted the 2020 Senior Asian Wrestling Championships in New Delhi. However, post Covid-19 pandemic no continental competition has been organised as WFI officials have been busy off the mat.

Wrestling discipline has been the most successful at the Olympic Games since 2008 when Sushil Kumar won a bronze medal in his respective weight category.

Kumar's medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in China broke the glass ceiling. His bronze medal-winning feat inspired Indian wrestlers and results have been outstanding at successive Olympic Games since the Beijing Games. Indian wrestlers have won seven medals from the 2008 to 2024 Olympic Games.

But off-the-field issues severely hampered preparations of the Indian wrestling contingent bound for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. India's medal tally in wrestling in France could have been enhanced but the missed collective dampened the spirit of the wrestlers.

The sports ministry had suspended WFI for poor governance and WFI's day-to-day affairs were run by an ad-hoc panel which was another reason for the lack of good preparation for the Olympic Games and no national camp was conducted.

At the Paris Olympic Games, India's experienced wrestler Vinesh Phogat agonisingly missed the podium finish. She was disqualified for being overweight during weighing in prior to the gold medal bout in her respective freestyle category.

While promising female freestyle wrestler Antim Panghal failed to live up to her reputation on her debut at the Paris Olympic Games. She was considered to have the potential to win a medal but tamely bowed out in the preliminary round of women's 53kg.

Other elite Indian wrestlers were also unimpressive in France barring Aman Sherawat who went on to win bronze.

The impact of the court case by former international wrestlers were felt at the senior national wrestling championships held in Bengaluru. The star-studded Railways pulled out.

At the end of the season Punia, the Olympic bronze medallist was suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) as earlier in the year he refused to give a urine sample for a dope test.

Legal cases by former international wrestlers and Olympians haunted WFI at the fag end of the season and court cases are likely to keep WFI busy off the mat in the 2025 season too.