Indian wrestlers set to miss ranking series in Albania

Indian wrestlers are set to miss the second ranking series in a row after missing the first ranking series of year in Zagreb, Croatia, as the tussle between the sports ministry and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) took a turn for the worse.

Zagreb Open was scheduled from February 5-9 in Croatia. As the Indian wrestlers will miss the second ranking series scheduled in Tirana, Albania, scheduled for February 26 to March 2, their seedings will be affected for the senior World Wrestling Championships scheduled for later this year.

Even though the WFI sent a proposal to the Sports Authority of India (SAI) seeking its approval, it has not received any response.

The sports ministry suspended the WFI in December 2023, but is recognised by the United World Wrestling (UWW).

"We have not received sanction order yet for the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in Albania," Sanjay Kumar Singh, the WFI president, was quoted as saying by New Indian Express.

The WFI’s struggle to find sponsors has also made it financially weak.

The WFI sent the same set of names it had sent to the SAI last time.

The WFI and sports ministry have been at loggerheads since the time of former president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexually exploiting women's wrestlers.