Key facts
- Over 500 wrestlers were disqualified from the U-17 National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda.
- The disqualifications were due to age fraud identified through a new Aadhaar-based verification system.
- Discrepancies were noted between wrestlers' birth certificates and their Aadhaar records.
- WFI President Sanjay Singh affirmed the federation's commitment to eliminating age fraud in wrestling.
- The enhanced verification process will be applied to all future U-15, U-17, and U-20 competitions.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has implemented a strict Aadhaar-based verification system, leading to the disqualification of over 500 wrestlers from the U-17 National Open Ranking Tournament held in Gonda. The new system exposed widespread discrepancies between wrestlers' birth certificates and their Aadhaar records, including inconsistencies in birth dates and places.
The tournament, which took place from June 6 to 8, saw approximately 1,200 wrestlers register across various categories. The stringent verification process resulted in the disqualification of around 300 wrestlers in men's freestyle, 125 in Greco Roman, and 50 in women's wrestling. In some instances, birth certificates were issued years after the wrestler's actual birth, and details did not match Aadhaar information.
WFI President Sanjay Singh emphasized the federation's dedication to ensuring fair competition and eradicating age fraud. He stated that the Aadhaar verification process has been effective in identifying discrepancies and will be strictly enforced in all future U-15, U-17, and U-20 competitions. The WFI recently suspended five wrestlers for submitting fake birth certificates, underscoring its resolve to combat age manipulation. The federation plans to apply the same protocol to upcoming events, including the U-17 World Championship trials.