Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 8: India’s participation in the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas has been thrown into uncertainty after nine Indian wrestlers were denied US visas during appointments at the American Embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The affected athletes were among 16 wrestlers who appeared for visa appointments as part of a 24-member Indian contingent. Their passports were returned after the interviews, while the visa refusals were communicated verbally.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) said the refusals were reportedly linked to the applicants’ employment status and age. The federation said the affected wrestlers are below 20 years of age and do not have formal employment, despite being eligible to compete in the U23 category.

“Today, 24 participants appeared at the Embassy for their visa appointments, out of which 16 were wrestlers. Unfortunately, 09 wrestlers were refused visas, reportedly due to their employment status and are below 20 years of age,” the WFI said in a letter.

The U23 World Championships are open to wrestlers aged between 18 and 23, with several members of India’s squad still at an early stage of their sporting careers. The WFI said many young athletes pursuing wrestling professionally are not formally employed.

Among those denied visas is Neha Sangwan, the 2024 U17 World Champion. The other affected wrestlers are Samarth Gajanan Mhakave, Dheeraj Kumar Malik, Sachin Kumar, Nikhil, Hardeep, Parveen, Ahilya Shatrughn Shinde and Neha Sharma.

The WFI has approached the US Embassy seeking reconsideration of the visa refusals. It has also raised concerns about wrestlers scheduled for visa appointments on Thursday, saying most of them are also below 20 and without formal employment.

The U23 World Championships are scheduled to be held in Las Vegas from October 12 to 18. The WFI is seeking clarity and a review of the refused applications in the hope that the affected wrestlers can travel to the US and compete in the championships.