WFI President Attributes Asian Games Gold Loss to Ad-Hoc Committee

In a recent statement, WFI President Sanjay Singh criticized the ad-hoc committee appointed by the IOA for the federation's operational failures, which he claims led to India missing a gold medal at the Asian Games. However, young wrestler Sujeet Kalkal made headlines by winning gold in the men's 65 kg freestyle wrestling, marking a significant achievement for India. This article delves into the controversies surrounding the WFI, the recent elections, and the challenges faced by Indian wrestlers in their pursuit of success at the Asian Games.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 2, 2026, 19:44 IST

WFI Chief Criticizes Ad-Hoc Committee for Missed Opportunities

Sanjay Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), has pointed fingers at the ad-hoc committee appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for the federation's operations during the protests and investigations surrounding former president Brij Bhushan Singh. He claims this oversight led to India missing a gold medal at the Asian Games. However, young wrestler Sujeet Kalkal broke the medal drought by clinching gold in the men's 65 kg freestyle wrestling on Friday.

Sujeet Kalkal's Remarkable Gold Medal Achievement

At the ongoing Asian Games 2026, Sujeet Kalkal achieved a historic victory by defeating Tajikistan's Abdulmazhid Kudiev in the men's freestyle 65kg final held in Aichi-Nagoya. Despite trailing 2-9 with just over a minute remaining, Sujeet executed a series of takedowns, ultimately securing the gold medal with only eleven seconds left on the clock. This victory marks India's first gold in wrestling at the Asian Games since Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat's wins in 2018, as reported by ESPN. With this win, India has now accumulated a total of 75 medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, including 15 golds, 25 silvers, and 35 bronzes.

Context of WFI's Ongoing Controversy

Reflecting on the long wait for an Asian Games gold, Sanjay Singh remarked, "If proper trials had been conducted and wrestlers had been sent appropriately during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, we could have secured this gold earlier. The ad-hoc committee is primarily responsible for this loss." Amid protests from top wrestlers like Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malik, and Vinesh Phogat against Brij Bhushan in early 2023, the IOA formed an ad-hoc committee in April 2023 to manage the federation's daily operations. In August 2023, United World Wrestling (UWW) imposed a ban on WFI for failing to hold elections in a timely manner.

Election and Suspension of WFI

Elections were conducted in late December 2023, resulting in Sanjay Singh being elected as the new WFI president. However, his election faced backlash from wrestlers who claimed he was closely associated with the former president. Shortly after the elections, the Ministry suspended the federation again, coinciding with Sanjay's announcement of hosting U-15 and U-20 nationals in Uttar Pradesh. An ad-hoc committee was reinstated to oversee the federation's operations. Following the lifting of the UWW ban in February 2024, the ad-hoc committee was dissolved in March 2024.

Mixed Results at the Asian Games

During this tumultuous period, India's performance at the Asian Games was lackluster, yielding only a silver and five bronze medals. In the men's 65 kg category, Bajrang Punia received a direct entry to the 2023 Asian Games without trials but failed to medal. Sujeet was among those who challenged this exemption in the Delhi High Court.

Coach Vinod's Insights

Vinod, the chief coach of Indian wrestling, echoed Sanjay's sentiments, stating, "In the 2023 Asian Games, we suffered a significant defeat against Iran due to our wrestler competing without trials. This gap of eight years could have been avoided."

Sujeet's Dramatic Comeback

Vinod described Sujeet's performance as a "dramatic comeback," highlighting how he turned the match around in the final moments. "The entire nation witnessed his incredible turnaround in the last 27 seconds, making history in the process," he noted.

Controversial Semifinal Match

Discussing Sujeet's semifinal against Japan's Kiyooka, Vinod criticized the refereeing, claiming it favored the Japanese wrestler. "What should have been four points for us was only awarded as one point. We were left questioning the decisions while reviewing the video replay repeatedly," he stated.

Sujeet's Path to the Final

Before reaching the final, Sujeet achieved a significant victory by defeating Japan's Kiyooka 3-3 on criteria in the men's freestyle 65kg semifinal. Kiyooka, the reigning Olympic champion, initially led 2-0, but Sujeet rallied in the second period to score three points. The bout ended in a tie, but Sujeet advanced due to scoring the last point.

Previous Matches

Earlier in the competition, Sujeet triumphed over Afghanistan's Sayed Omar Zazai in the round of 16 and Iran's Abbas Ebrahimzadehsavadkouhi in the quarterfinal.