500+ Wrestlers Disqualified as WFI's Aadhaar Verification Drive Exposes Age Fraud at U-17 Nationals

The Wrestling Federation of India removed more than 500 wrestlers from the U-17 National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda after a new Aadhaar-based verification drive exposed large-scale age fraud. The checks, introduced at the event held from June 6 to 8, targeted irregularities in age and birth records.

The three-day tournament in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district drew about 1,200 entrants across men’s freestyle, Greco Roman and women’s sections. WFI treated the age verification process as central to the competition, insisting that every U-17 wrestler clear stricter identity checks before stepping on the mat.

WFI age fraud checks at U-17 ranking meet

Along with standard birth certificates, officials demanded Aadhaar cards linked to wrestlers’ mobile numbers. Each competitor had to complete OTP authentication through the Aadhaar app, which keeps a log of any edits made to the document. Scrutiny focused on aligning these digital records with the information shown on birth certificates.

Once verification began, discrepancies quickly surfaced between dates of birth listed in Aadhaar data and those on submitted certificates. WFI then disqualified nearly 500 wrestlers for age fraud: around 300 from men’s freestyle, about 125 from Greco Roman and roughly 50 from women’s wrestling. The exclusions significantly thinned fields across several weight categories.

Impact of WFI age fraud drive on U-17 wrestlers

The verification exercise highlighted how age manipulation can undermine fairness in age-group wrestling. Older wrestlers competing against younger rivals gain clear physical advantages, affecting both safety and results. By using Aadhaar logs that capture every change to personal details, officials aimed to close loopholes around altered birth dates and forged documents.

For many disqualified wrestlers, the episode could affect future entries, as organisers now have a reference trail of conflicting records. Coaches and academies are also likely to reassess registration practices, knowing that Aadhaar-based checks can expose past adjustments. Honest wrestlers, meanwhile, competed in smaller but more credible draws in Gonda.

The large number of disqualifications at the U-17 National Open Ranking Tournament showed WFI’s intention to tighten age scrutiny at major junior events. By pairing birth certificates with Aadhaar authentication, the federation signalled that age fraud would carry immediate consequences, reinforcing trust in results and the pathway for young wrestlers.