Unable to maintain weight, wrestler Neha barred by WFI for two years

young new delhi: grappler Neha Sangwan has been dropped from the amerindic team up for next month’s World Championships and suspended for two years by the Wrestling Federation of India as disciplinary action for failing to maintain her weight at the recent junior world championships in Bulgaria.

The 59kg wrestler was found overweight during weigh-in and was disqualified from the competition. India went unrepresented in the division. In a notice issued to Neha, WFI president Sanjay Singh said it was not an “isolated incident” and that she had been guilty of such lapses during the U20 World Championships in Spain last year and at the international ranking series in Hungary this year.

“Your repeated negligence and inability to maintain professional discipline have adversely impacted the performance and reputation of the Indian wrestling team at the international level,” writes Singh. “After careful consideration, WFI has decided to impose strict disciplinary action. Accordingly, you are hereby suspended from all wrestling related activities, both at the national and international level, for a period of two years with immediate effect.”

Neha is the first Indian wrestler to be disqualified from a competition since Vinesh Phogat’s infamous episode at the Paris Olympics, when she failed to make the weigh-in ahead of the 50kg final. An Olympic medal slipped away in a dramatic and heartbreaking manner after she had stormed into the final, having beaten Japan’s defending champion, Yui Susaki earlier.

As wrestlers pick their division, it is their responsibility to remain under the weight to be able to compete. A wrestler who fails a weigh-in is eliminated from competition.

“This (disqualification) not only deprived India of a potential medal opportunity but also resulted in significant expenditure incurred by the government of India towards your participation…,” Singh’s letter says.

WFI has replaced Neha with Sarika Malik, who had finished second in the World Championships trials in 59kg.

Neha, 18, emerged as a bright talent after ousting two-time Olympian Anshu Malik in the senior team trials this year. Neha won the U17 world title last year and is a two-time defending champion in U17 Asian Championships. This year, she had quickly made the transition to seniors, winning gold in the Ulaanbaatar international ranking series and silver in Hungary. Neha is one of four girls who qualified for the junior as well as senior worlds.

However, weight management has been an issue with her, a national camp coach said. At last month’s selection trials, she competed in 59kg due to her issues with weight, Neha told HT at the trials.

Ban could be reduced

A WFI official said the two-year suspension could be reduced after hearing her as she is a “bright, young talent”.

Women’s team chief coach Virender Dahiya said Neha had been negligent in maintaining weight despite the monitoring of coaches. Dahiya pointed to the Hungary incident where it was a “challenge” to cut her weight. “As a professional wrestler she needs to learn to maintain weight in the category she is competing in. But she is still young and learning. She is very talented and remains in our scheme of things.”

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