"Ad-hoc panel should be focussing on the polling date, not the nationals" - Suspended WFI official

The schedule for the 2024 Senior National Wrestling Championships was announced on Friday, December 8, by the ad-hoc committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

The tournament will take place from January 2 to 5, 2024, and will be organized by the Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Men's freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling are the three categories in the championships, with each state association sending a contingent of 30 members (one each in the weight category of all three styles). The deadline for the submission of entries is December 22.

The ad-hoc committee, comprising Bhupender Singh Bajwa and Suma Shirur, responded to the query of returning officer (RO) MM Kumar on the progress of WFI elections.

According to a report by The New Indian Express, a newly elected WFI head is likely to be in place during the time of the national championships. If that happens, there is a possibility of nullification in case the new WFI body doesn't authorize the tournament.

Speaking to The New Indian Express on the timing of the announcement of national dates and ignoring the WFI elections, an official from the suspended WFI body said:

"The Supreme Court clearly ordered on November 28 asking the RO to proceed with the WFI election. The ad-hoc panel should be focussing on the polling date, not the nationals."

"What if the newly elected body doesn't recognise the nationals? It would have been better if the panel had worked to hold the elections in earnest instead of announcing dates of nationals as it will add to the confusion," the official added.

The WFI was suspended by the global governing body of the sport, United World Wrestling, after the former failed to conduct the federation elections on the given time.

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National Championships to decide wrestlers' selection for national camp

There was no national camp held in 2023 in the aftermath of the wrestlers' protest against the Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh-led WFI. There haven't been any national competitions since April this year. The selection for the Asian Games was determined from the trials held in July.

The upcoming national championships will serve as a key to selecting the wrestlers and teams for the national camp, considering the Zagreb Open (a ranking tournament) to be held from January 10 to 14.

The national camp for male wrestlers will take place in Sonepat and for female wrestlers, it will be in Patiala. The dates are yet to be revealed.