Nine Indian wrestlers have been denied visas, and the WFI Chief is not pleased with the occurrence. The Nine Indian wrestlers, including 2024 U17 World Champion Neha Sangwan, have been denied United States visas, preventing them from competing at the U23 World Wrestling Championships currently underway in Las Vegas. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has strongly criticised the decision by the US Embassy, describing it as unprecedented and blaming it for costing India potential gold medals.
Nine Indian wrestlers denied visas for World Championships, costing ‘at least five’ gold medals
The athletes were refused visas primarily on the grounds that they were under the age of 20 and did not hold full-time conventional employment, despite dedicating themselves full-time to wrestling as elite competitors. According to reports, five Greco-Roman wrestlers and four women wrestlers were also among those affected. The men’s freestyle contingent received clearance and travelled to the event.
WFI president Sanjay Singh did not mince his words and called out the US Embassy. He said the visa refusals represented the first such incident in the history of the tournament. He also added that the players denied visas had the potential to win at least five gold medals. He said, as per The Free Press Journal:
"Visas of 9 wrestlers have been rejected. It is a fault of the US Embassy. I had spoken to them and also the United World Wrestling regarding the same. It is unfortunate.”
He added:
"These are 20 year olds. Wrestling is their full time job. I am certain atleast 5 of them would have won the gold.”
Singh believed that the impact could have been even greater, with suggestions that several of the excluded athletes stood realistic chances of podium finishes. The championships began with Greco-Roman events on 12 October, followed by women’s wrestling from 14 October and men’s freestyle later in the week. India’s Greco-Roman and women’s campaigns were therefore significantly weakened from the outset.
Neha Sangwan, who captured the U17 world title in 2024, was among the most high-profile absentees. Other named athletes included Parveen, Ahilya Shatrughn Shinde, Neha Sharma in the women’s categories, and Samarth Gajanan Mhakave, Dheeraj Kumar Malik, Sachin Kumar, Nikhil and Hardeep in Greco-Roman. One additional case involved a wrestler recently employed by Indian Railways who was unable to furnish the salary documentation requested during the visa interview process.
WFI wrote to US Embassy to reconsider decision
The WFI didn't sit back and had written to the US Embassy seeking reconsideration. The governing body stated that the U23 category naturally features athletes aged between 18 and 23, many of whom prioritise intensive training over traditional employment. The federation also mentioned that United World Wrestling had intervened on India’s behalf. However, it didn't work.
Despite these efforts and a short window before the women’s events began, the visas were not granted in time. The incident has drawn attention to the challenges young professional athletes can face when applying for visas under criteria that appear geared more toward conventional employment and financial ties than high-level sports careers. India has still recorded some success at the championships, and these absences have cost the country potential future stars.
Big blow for India
Vishvajit More became the country’s first Greco-Roman finalist at U23 level, securing a place in the gold-medal bout in his weight category. The full freestyle team remains in contention in the later stages of the competition. Nevertheless, the absence of the nine wrestlers has left a clear gap in the Indian contingent as they miss out on potential podium finishes. The incident occurs against a backdrop of tighter US visa and immigration scrutiny in recent periods. It is amid the broader tightening of US immigration and visa policies, which also includes expanded screening and vetting requirements for certain visa categories and restrictions. India is among the 39 countries affected by this.
Other Indian wrestlers called up with clear guidelines
Others have called for clearer guidelines or special provisions for elite sportspeople participating in official international events. As the U23 World Wrestling Championships continue in Las Vegas, the Indian team competes with a reduced squad in two styles. The incident affecting young Indian athletes will likely be looked at by both the WFI and relevant authorities in the coming weeks for the long-term implications for bilateral sporting relations.
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