TOI Impact: Wrestling Federation of India suspends 30 overage wrestlers for breaching rules; coach handed lifetime ban
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has suspended 30 overage wrestlers in the past month after investigating over 400 cases of athletes competing illegally at junior levels with fake birth certificates.
The investigation revealed that wrestlers from
Haryana
obtained fraudulent documents showing Delhi as their birthplace to participate in junior competitions, with two overage athletes even winning medals at the recent Khelo India Games in Bihar.
The WFI discovered that most wrestlers obtained fake certificates from Delhi's Narela and Rohini zones, with approximately 300 cases from Narela alone. The remaining cases were from areas like Sultanpuri and Mangolpuri in the Rohini zone, with many certificates originating from Begampura.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
"We do not want to spoil careers of wrestlers, so we have just barred them from the junior level competitions, like U18 and Cadets. They should compete at the senior level, if they are over 18 they must represent their original state," a senior WFI official told PTI.
The official explained that these wrestlers, influenced by their Haryana coaches, paid bribes to obtain fake birth certificates. The federation worked with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Cantonment Board to verify and investigate the complaints.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Ouvido esquerdo com zumbido? Esse é o significado! (Faça para aliviar)
Zumbido no ouvido
Undo
"Out of 436 cases, around 300 were from the Narela zone, while the rest were from the Rohini zone like Sultanpuri and Mangolpuri. Most of them were getting certificates from Begampura. All of them wanted to represent Delhi since getting selected in Haryana teams is not easy. We approached MCD and the Delhi cantonment Board after receiving complaints and upon investigation and verification it was proved they were fake certificates," the official said.
Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy
The federation also identified a female wrestler at the Khelo India Games who submitted a fraudulent certificate allegedly issued by the Delhi Cantonment Board. The board confirmed they had not issued any such document.
"Actually the coaches are to be blamed. They wants their wards to win medals at competitions to become famous. That greed drives them to have overage wrestlers competing at junior level," the official added.
The investigation revealed that wrestlers paid cyber cafe owners to create fake bar codes on certificates. These bar codes would display false information when scanned, making the certificates appear genuine. The WFI has now decided to reject recently issued birth certificates.
Quiz:
Who's that IPL player?
In a separate development, the WFI has banned Sanjay Lather, a Haryana coach, for life following a sexual harassment complaint during the Khelo India Games.
"We had received a complaint that this coach, who was appointed by the state government, had entered the room of a female wrestler after the competition ended. The Internal Complaints Committee duly investigated the matter and decided to terminate him from all wrestling activities for life," the official said.
The suspended wrestlers must now approach the WFI to apologize for their actions. The federation will then consider their cases individually.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Saudi Pro League: Foreign company buys stake in Al Kholood Club - a first in the kingdom
Players from Al Kholood, a football club in Saudi Pro League. (Image: X/SPL) Saudi Arabia announced the privatisation of three football clubs in the Saudi Pro League on Thursday, with American-led Harburg Group becoming the first foreign company to acquire a Saudi club through its 100% purchase of Al Kholood Club. This development is part of the country's Vision 2030 reform initiative aimed at diversifying the oil-dependent economy. "The Harburg Group has officially completed the 100 percent acquisition of Al Kholood Club, of the Saudi Pro League, as part of the groundbreaking privatisation initiative of Saudi Vision 2030," the group, led by Ben Harburg, stated. The sports ministry confirmed the broader privatisation effort in a separate announcement: "The first three Saudi sports clubs have been privatised through a public offering — Al Ansar, Al Kholood, and Al Zulfi — with their ownership transferred to investment entities." Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Al Kholood, which finished ninth in the 18-team Saudi Pro League last season, joins Harburg Group's portfolio alongside their 6.5 percent stake in Spanish second-division club Cadiz. Saudi Arabia has transformed its football landscape since late 2022, attracting high-profile players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema to compete in the Saudi Pro League. The kingdom's football ambitions extend beyond club ownership, as they prepare to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like TV providers are furious: this gadget gives you access to all channels Techno Mag Learn More Undo The Saudi football initiative has drawn parallels with the Chinese Super League's previous strategy of importing players with substantial salaries, which eventually faltered due to economic challenges. Sports play a crucial role in Vision 2030, overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman , as Saudi Arabia positions itself as a tourism and business destination before global oil demand declines. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
IND vs ENG 2025: 'Bits-and-pieces cricketers won't win you Tests' - Navjot Singh Sidhu questions Shardul Thakur's selection for 4th Test
Shardul Thakur NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has questioned the Indian team management's decision to field Shardul Thakur in the playing XI for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, taking a sharp dig at the 'bits-and-pieces' approach in Test cricket. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Following Nitish Kumar Reddy's injury, India roped in Thakur, but Sidhu remained unconvinced. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former opener said: 'Even if Shardul makes a fifty, at that number eight position, bits-and-pieces cricketers do well in one-day cricket, but in Test cricket, you always need specialists. If you could bring Shardul the bowler at number eight, then I would agree this is the right selection. ' Rishabh Pant injury update: Will he come out to bat on Day 2? More on his swelling, fitness status Sidhu argued that India has been using Thakur more for batting depth than for bowling impact. 'You do not bowl him enough and then in order to increase the batting you compromise with your bowling. Bits-and-pieces cricketers, I don't think will ever win you games abroad,' he said. Poll What do you think is more important in Test cricket? Specialist bowlers All-rounders Batting depth He added that even someone of Ravindra Jadeja 's quality had struggled to take wickets in the earlier Tests despite favourable conditions. 'Even Jadeja could not pick wickets in the first two Tests with the rough. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 3 minutes, if you own a mouse Undo Batting, fielding, as an all-rounder, par excellence,' he said, praising Jadeja's overall value but stressing the need for wicket-taking bowlers. Sidhu doubled down on his criticism by questioning the purpose of having a batting all-rounder at No. 8. 'If seven can't do it, eight also won't. I have been repeating this point time and again. I feel this is again a compromise, and I feel it will not go in favour of India,' he asserted. 'He was in a lot of pain': Sai Sudharsan admits Rishabh Pant's absence could hurt India Reflecting on Day 1, where India ended strongly at 264/4, Sidhu admitted India dominated. 'The first day will go in India's name. They have dominated 70 percent of the series but are still 2-1 down. This is the lack of experience — and you won't find experience in a mall or market,' he remarked. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Pink Villa
13 hours ago
- Pink Villa
The Young and the Restless Spoilers, July 24 Episode: Nick's Escape Goes Wrong, Find Out if He Survives?
The Young and the Restless spoilers for Thursday, July 24, reveal intense scenes as Nick's escape plan takes a dangerous turn. Meanwhile, Carter finds himself cornered and questioned about his connection to Damian's murder. The drama continues to build as old alliances shift and new ones form. Nick and Sharon's escape plan turns risky Nick and Sharon are still trapped inside the storage room, but Sharon manages to unlock the door. However, their path to freedom won't be easy. Once the door opens, danger is waiting. Nick ends up wounded on his side, possibly after an altercation with a security guard or someone involved in Damian's murder. Sharon quickly rushes to help Nick. Sally soon arrives and assists Sharon by trying to stop the bleeding. While Nick's injury may not be life-threatening, it's enough to slow down their escape and raise concerns about who might be watching them. Carter gets grilled by Victor and Chance Victor and Chance have growing doubts about Carter's role in Damian's murder. They catch Carter alone in a train car and start pressing him with questions. Carter admits he's loyal to Cane and would do anything for him. Still, he insists he had nothing to do with Damian's death and didn't cover anything up. Although Carter claims innocence, Chance and Victor aren't convinced. There's no confession, but suspicions remain. Carter could still be involved, especially if he acted alone to protect Cane. This murder mystery is far from over, and more twists are likely. Sally and Sharon work together to help Nick As Nick struggles with his injury, Sharon and Sally team up to provide quick care. It's a rare moment of teamwork between the two women, showing how serious the situation has become. Nick remains weak, but their support keeps him stable as help may be on the way. Elsewhere, Jack makes a tough decision about his business relationship with Billy. With Billy leaning toward joining forces with Cane, Jack decides to pull out of their partnership.
