The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) suspended 11 wrestlers for submitting fake birth certificates. The action comes after the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) verified a set of 110 documents, raising serious concerns about the integrity of age-group competitions.

A WFI official, speaking to PTI, confirmed the suspension and said the federation is determined to ensure no genuine wrestler is disadvantaged. “We have already taken some steps and continue to do the needful. The WFI wants a clean system where no genuine wrestler is wronged. No one should get any unfair advantage,” the official said.

The issue of age fraud when it comes to wrestlers competing in junior categories has plagued the sport in India for years. In many cases, athletes allegedly procured fake birth certificates—sometimes registered 12 to 15 years after birth—to compete in younger age brackets or represent other states.

The MCD, after cross-checking the certificates forwarded by WFI, stated that while 95 of them were issued under orders from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), 11 were found to be fake, photoshopped, or digitally manipulated. These belonged to wrestlers Saksham, Manuj, Kavita, Anshu, Arush Rana, Shubham, Gautam, Jagrup Dhankar, Nakul, Dushyant, and Siddharth Baliyan.

Of the 11 fake certificates identified, six originated from Delhi’s Narela zone, two from Najafgarh, and one each from Rohini, Civil Lines, and City zone. WFI confirmed that suspension notices were sent to six wrestlers on August 7, with five others already suspended earlier for similar violations.

The MCD clarified its role, stating, “95 birth certificates have been issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi only after getting orders from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate and there is no lapse on the part of the MCD.” It also found two certificates where the date of registration had been deliberately altered to mislead authorities.

COMPLAINT TO SPORTS MINISTRY

Meanwhile, Neeraj Kumar, father of Delhi-based wrestler Ritika, has filed a complaint with the sports ministry alleging a violation of domicile norms. He claimed that Haryana’s Ishika was allowed to compete for Delhi in a recent state-level 53kg event, and demanded an inquiry to uphold transparency and fair play in selection processes.

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