Wrestling vs Grappling: India’s sports activities federations locked in battle

Despite an allegation from the Grappling Federation of India (GFI) that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is attempting to hijack the recognition of grappling as a sport within the nation, the WFI has careworn that every one related types of wrestling ought to ideally come below its jurisdiction.
Wrestling’s world physique, United World Wrestling (UWW), has in the meantime stated it’s hopeful “both organizations will be able to find a way together to solve this dispute”.
The nation’s grappling federation, which has been in existence for the previous 5 years, sees the letter despatched by the UWW to the WFI earlier this month as validation for the exhausting work they’ve put in.
“UWW has taken the correct decision by reaffirming GFI as the only body in India for running grappling, taking into consideration the huge progress and popularity of the sport. We have conducted 12 National Championships, different professional championships and have also got the sport included in National School Games and All India University Games” stated GFI CEO Shiv Kumar Panchal.
The GFI alleges that WFI has been attempting to take over the functioning of the grappling federation, first by establishing an an alternate administrative physique and extra lately by requesting UWW to dissolve the GFI.
“In 2015, the UWW invited interest to set up a grappling federation in India, which initiative the GFI took up. The WFI did not have much interest in the sport then, thinking it is just an associate sport. Since then, grappling has become a popular sport in the country – now there are around 1000 students participating in every National Games, almost 20 states have been affiliated under the GFI,” stated GFI joint secretary Supriya Samanta.
“Seeing this popularity, the WFI set up a new body, comprising members of the GFI who had been previously suspended for misdemeanors, to take over the running of grappling in the country,” she stated.
Meanwhile, the WFI, whereas saying it should comply with instructions despatched down from the UWW, stated it’s best for the sake of “accountability” if grappling in India can also be administered by the wrestling physique.
“All forms of wrestling fall under the UWW umbrella, not just Freestyle and Greco-Roman, the forms seen in the Olympics. For the sake of accountability, we feel that it will be best if all associated wrestling forms like sand wrestling, mud wrestling and grappling are also administered from one source. We are the administrative body recognized by the UWW, the Olympics as well as the Indian government,” stated WFI secretary VN Prasood.
“There are too many styles of wrestling and too many bodies conducting events. This creates a problem for an athlete who has a certificate from one federation but then finds his certificate is ineligible for another federation. To avoid such problems, it will be best if all the federations work under the aegis of the WFI,” he stated.
The UWW letter addressed to WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh earlier this month had stated: “(Your) attempt (to take grappling under WFI’s umbrella) is made in total disrespect of our decision to entrust GFI with the responsibility to develop grappling as a discipline in India. This cannot be tolerated from any of our members.”