Wrestling

Brawls erupt at National Wrestling Championship, matches suspended

The ongoing National Wrestling Championship in Gujranwala descended into chaos on Saturday after altercations between wrestlers spiraled into physical brawls, involving team officials and supporters in the crowd, forcing the suspension of matches for the day. The incident began with a minor dispute between Wapda's Irfan Bhola and the Higher Education Commission's Ibrahim over a referee's decision to award a point to the former. Footage of the melee at the Jinnah stadium on TV channels showed the two wrestlers arguing after the point was awarded and later they started grappling and punching each other. In a few minutes players and officials of both teams were seen going after each other as the brawls spread between supporters as well in the crowds with footage showing punches and kicks being thrown freely. An organizer said security had to be called in to control the chaotic situation and to avoid any serious injuries to anyone. The matches are suspended and will resume later, he .

Bajrang Punia accuses BJP of vindictive politics on Nada suspension

Suspended for four years due to his "refusal" to provide sample for dope test, Olympic medallist Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia on Wednesday said it was a vindictive move by the government which would quash the ban if he joins the BJP. NADA said Bajrang violated the rules by refusing to give sample during selection trials for the national team on March 10. The anti-doping body had first suspended the Tokyo Games bronze medallist wrestler on April 23 for the offence following which, the sport's world governing body UWW had also slapped him with a suspension. "It is not shocking because this issue about trial has been going on for last one year. I have said in the past too that I have not refused to give sample to NADA. When they visited my home to conduct the dope test, they came with an expiry kit (in December, 2023). I have also posted this on social media," Barjrang told reporters. Punia, along with fellow wrestler and Olympian Vinesh Phogat, have joined the Congress Party earlier

Sakshi Malik's 'Witness' tells untold stories behind wrestlers' journey

In her memoir, Sakshi Malik doesn't hold back, revealing the untold parts of her story that the world missed while the cameras focused only on certain snippets

Wrestlers cleared to compete in senior wrestling championship: Mandaviya

This announcement comes amid ongoing court proceedings related to wrestling governance issues in the country

CWG 2026: Hockey set to be axed; shooting, wrestling may also be dropped

Hockey is set to be axed from the 2026 Commonwealth Games as the host city of Glasgow looks to cut costs, several media reports here stated but both the the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) remained tight-lipped on the matter. Hockey has featured in each CWG since making its debut in 1998, but according to reports here, the Glasgow Games organisers want to drop it from the schedule along with net ball and road racing to ensure a trimmed programme that would be easy on the budget. Two other major sports -- shooting and wrestling -- in which India has had medal hauls in the past editions are also set to be dropped from the 2026 Glasgow CWG roster, which will deal a big blow to the country's hopes. Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) had said in their proposal that all the competitions of the 2026 CWG would be held in venues within an eight-mile-radius. That will rule shooting out of the sports roster as the Barry Buddon centre in Dundee

Wrestlers' harassment: HC asks Delhi Police's reply on Brij Bhushan's plea

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought response of the city police and wrestlers on a plea by former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh seeking early hearing of his petition to quash an FIR lodged against him by several women wrestlers. Singh has sought preponement of the date of hearing in the main petition which is listed on January 13, 2025, on the grounds that the matter is at the stage of recording prosecution evidence in the trial court and by the time the case will come up before the high court, most of the witnesses will be examined. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri issued notice to the Delhi Police and the wrestlers on the application in which Singh has also urged the high court to direct the trial court not to proceed in the criminal case till disposal of his pending petition. The high court asked the police and the wrestlers to file their replies to the application and listed it for hearing on December 16. During the brief hearing, Singh, represented by advoca

NADA serves whereabouts failure notice to Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat

The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) on Wednesday served a notice to wrestler Vinesh Phogat for whereabouts failure and sought an explanation within 14 days. All the athletes registered with NADA's Registered Testing Pool (RTP), of which Vinesh is a part, are required to provide details about their availability for dope tests. If they fill the details and are found not available on that location at that given time, it is considered a whereabouts failure. The NADA, in its notice, conveyed to the wrestler-turned-politician that she had apparently committed a whereabouts failure as she was not available for a dope test on September 9 at her house in Kharkhoda village in Sonepat. Vinesh had announced her retirement from the sport after her Paris Olympics campaign ended in heartbreak, where she made the final but was disqualified ahead of her gold-medal bout for being overweight. Vinesh and fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia joined the Congress party recently and she is contesting the ...

WFI requests CGF to not drop wrestling from CWG 2026, but not very hopeful

Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Singh on Tuesday urged the Commonwealth Games Federation to retain the sport in the 2026 CWG roster but also conceded that prospective host Scotland might not relent. India is one of the most successful wrestling nations in CWG, having won 114 medals in the sport till the 2022 edition. Wrestling was part of the CWG roster in the last three editions. The last time wrestling missed out was in 2006 when basketball replaced it. Before that, wrestling was removed from the programme in 1998 for the addition of 10-pin bowling. Scottish capital Glasgow is set to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Victoria pulled out, citing the huge cost of conducting the showpiece. "I met CGF President Chris Jenkins and CGF CEO Katie Sadleir during NSFs (National Sports Federations) meeting with the Commonwealth Games Federation. We told them how important it is for India and several other nations to have wrestling on the CWG roster. They said that

Wrestlers Sakshi, Aman, and Geeta launch Wrestling Champions Super League

Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Aman Sehrawat, along with former world championship bronze-winner Geeta Phogat, on Monday announced that they would soon launch a Wrestling Champions Super League (WCSL) for the country's budding grapplers but are yet to get the national federation's backing for it. Sakshi, along with Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, had spearheaded the wrestlers' protest against ousted Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment. She has, however, distanced herself from the latter two after they took the political plunge by joining Congress ahead of next month's Haryana assembly elections. She won the 58kg bronze in 2016 Rio Olympics, and announced the project with Phogat, a 55kg bronze winner in 2012 World Championships through their social media handles. The two, while announcing that they had Paris Games bronze-winner Aman on board, did not provide any details. Phogat told PTI that she is hopeful of

Delhi court likely to resume hearing against ex-WFI chief on Sep 23

A Delhi court is likely to resume hearing in sexual harassment case by female wrestlers against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on September 23. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Priyanka Rajpoot, who was scheduled to record the statement of one of the complainants on Thursday, adjourned the matter after being informed that the wrestler could not appear before the court today. The court on May 10 ordered framing of sexual harassment and other charges against the BJP MP and former WFI chief in a case lodged by six female wrestlers, observing there was "sufficient evidence" against him. It had directed framing of charges against Singh, a six-time Lok Sabha MP, under IPC sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The judge later on May 21 framed the charges after Singh pleaded not-guilty.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia moves Delhi High Court against suspension by NADA

Ahead of the Senior World Wrestling Championships to be held in Albania in October, wrestler Bajrang Punia has approached the Delhi High Court challenging his suspension by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). The grappler has claimed that the conduct of the agency is in violation of his fundamental rights to practice a profession and earn a livelihood under the Constitution of India, and that he would be "forced to retire" if the "arbitrary" suspension is not lifted. On June 21, the National Anti-Doping Agency suspended Punia for a second time and issued the formal "notice of charge", rendering him ineligible to train and participate in competitions. The move came three weeks after an Anti-Disciplinary Doping (ADDP) panel had revoked the earlier suspension on the ground that NADA had not issued a "notice of charge" to the wrestler. NADA had first suspended Punia on April 23 for refusal to give his urine sample for a dope test during the selection trials held in Sonepat on March

Sad that sports has been politicised: Rajyavardhan on Vinesh joining Cong

I feel that in Olympics, wrestling is such sport, in which so many athletes take part and we get so many medals, this time more medals could have come if such atmosphere was not created, Rathore said

Days after joining Cong, Bajrang Punia gets threat message; probe underway

Olympic wrestler Bajrang Punia, who joined the Congress, has received a threat message over WhatsApp warning him with dire consequences, police said on Sunday. Punia has filed a complaint at Bahalgarh police station in Sonipat. A police official said they received a complaint from Punia after which they launched an investigation. When asked that some reports say that in the threat message Punia was asked to quit Congress or be prepared to face dire consequences, Bahalgarh police station SHO Madan Singh said over the phone, "The matter is under investigation..." Olympians Punia and Vinesh Phogat entered the political arena on Friday by joining the Congress. The party later fielded Phogat from Julana seat for the Haryana Assembly polls while Punia was appointed as working chairman of All India Kisan Congress. Punia won bronze in the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Polling for 90 seats in Haryana will be held on October 5 and the votes counted on October 8.

Hoodas used wrestlers like Pandavas put Draupadi at stake: Former WFI chief

Former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Sunday accused the Hooda family of Congress of conspiring against him by using wrestlers as wager just as Pandavas had put Draupadi at stake. Singh, a former chief of Wrestling Federation of India, was last year accused of sexual assault by several female wrestlers, who sat on a protest for weeks demanding a probe against him. At his residence on Sunday, he told reporters, "In the gambling which took place in Mahabharat, Draupadi was put at stake. The Pandavas lost. The country is still not able to accept their reasons for doing it." He added, "The Hooda family put the honour of daughters and sisters at stake. The future generation will not forgive them for this and they will always be held guilty for this." Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who is an Olympic bronze-medallist, along with another Olympic bronze-winner Sakshi Malik spearheaded the agitation last year. Singh said, "Bajrang Punia's mental condition has deteriorated. He had pu

Vinesh starts poll campaign, says 'blessings will help win each battle'

Wrestler and Congress candidate Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said she expects to win each battle with the blessings of people as kicks off her campaign for the upcoming assembly election. Phogat (30) has been fielded from the Julana assembly segment for the upcoming assembly poll. Polling in Haryana will take place on October 5 while the counting of votes for the elections to the 90-member assembly will take place on October 8. Phogat was accorded a warm welcome when she reached Julana as her supporters, including elderly people and women and members of various 'Khaps', greeted her with garlands and gave their blessings. The Congress had on Friday released its first list of 32 candidates for the Haryana Assembly polls, naming her among the party candidates. Olympians Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, who were at the forefront of the wrestlers' protest against then WFI chief and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, entered the political arena on Friday by joining the Congress. Stand

From wrestling mat to politics, Bajrang Punia gears up for new 'dangal'

Bajrang Punia had once stated that it didn't really matter who was supporting him because as long as his mind was trained to feel undefeated, nothing really could beat him. If the unfazed manner in which he has moved from the wrestling mat to the political cauldron is any indication, this statement seems to have been the guiding principle of his life. Bajrang, a Tokyo Olympics bronze-medallist and among the most decorated names in Indian wrestling, is now set to grapple on the political turf, having joined the Congress party a month before the assembly elections in Haryana amid talk that he would be among the contestants. His name will be among the foremost in the annals of Indian wrestling heavyweights, whose career witnessed several highs on the mat but also turmoil off it. He was the first Indian to be ranked world no.1 in a freestyle weight category and also the first to win four world medals. The 30-year-old Bajrang hasn't officially said that he is giving up the sport but the

Aman Sehrawat one of the best wrestlers in the world: Coach Lalit Kumar

Dronacharya Award-winning trainer says he is confident that India will produce more champions

I shed 4.6 kg before Olympic match; it was challenging: Wrestler Sehrawat

Sehrawat, who is the under-23 World Champion, started training at Chhatrasal Stadium in Delhi when he was 10 years old. A year later his parents died and the stadium became his second home.

Let WFI work without any interference: WFI President Sanjay Singh

WFI President Sanjay Singh on Monday said India have the potential to win four to five medals in women's wrestling at the 2028 Olympic Games but for that to happen "a couple of institutions" will have to stop interfering in day-to-day functioning of the national federation. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) remains suspended by the Sports Ministry even as world governing body UWW had lifted its suspension in February following conduct of its election. The ministry had suspended WFI on December 24, three days after it held elections where Sanjay Singh was elected the new President. Ministry's action came in the wake of WFI's announcement of hosting U-15 and U-20 Nationals, hours after the election. Ministry said the announcement was against the the rules since a 15-day notice was required so that players could prepare. WFI had maintained that young wrestlers would have lost one year if it waited for 15 days since 2023 season would have finished by then. IOA, on being asked b

Four Indian women wrestlers to feature in World Championship finals

Putting up a dominant show, all four Indian women wrestlers in action, including Aditi Kumari, Neha and Pulkit, got themselves in title contention at the Under-17 World Championships, here on Wednesday. Aditi Kumari put up an impressive show against Ukraine's Karolina Shperyk (10-0) and Marriem Mohamed Abdelaal (4-2) to set up the 43kg semifinal against Aleksandra Berezovskaia. She carried forward her terrific run with a 8-2 win in the semifinals to set up the 43kg final with Maria Louiza Gkika from Greece. In 57kg, Neha made it to the semifinals without losing a point. She pinned Greek rival Mairi Mani and then won by technical superiority against Georgia's Miranda Kapanadze. Up next for her was Kazakhstan's Anna Stratan and she won 8-4 to move to the final where he will face Japan's So Tsuitsui. In 65kg, Pulkit dominated China's Ling Cai for 'win by fall' and followed that up with a commanding 9-0 victory against Juliana Catanzaro. She then blanked Egypt's Maram Ibrahim Aly 3-0