World wrestling body asks all federations to suspend dealing with India

The United World Wrestling (UWW) has asked all the national federations under it to stop communication with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in the wake of visa denial of Pakistani shooters in the recent World Cup in New Delhi.

The denial of visa to Pakistani shooters had led to the International Olympic Committee suspending discussions with India for hosting future global events.

"UWW recommends to all the affiliated and associated national wrestling federations to suspended their discussions or relations with the Indian wrestling federation," the world body wrote in its letter to national federations, according to a WFI source.

Neither WFI President Brij Bhusan Sharan nor Assistant Secretary Vinod Tomar could be reached for comments.

The denial of visas to Pakistani shooters in the Delhi World Cup last month has jeopardised India's chances of hosting the Olympics or any global event with the IOC suspending all such discussions with the country and recommending that no big tournament be awarded to it.

India denied visas to Pakistani shooters for the World Cup in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel. As a result, the IOC revoked the two Olympic quotas on offer in the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol competition of the event.

It remains to be seen to what extent the UWW directive would affect Indian wrestlers.

At the just-concluded Dan Kolov event in Bulgaria, Indian wrestlers had put up an impressive show as they won two gold and two silver medals.

Bajrang Punia and Pooja Dhanda won gold while Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat settled for silver medals.