Daijiworld Media Network - Chennai

Chennai, Oct 24: Greco-Roman wrestler Sanjeev, who represented India at the 2024 World Championships in Tirana, Albania, has been suspended by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) due to alleged discrepancies in his domicile and identity documents.

Sanjeev, competing in the 55kg weight category, won his opening bout at the World Championships held from October 28 to 31 before losing his next match and exiting the tournament.

Document Discrepancies

The suspension follows an investigation into Sanjeev’s personal records:

• He procured his birth certificate from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Rohini Sector, on August 9, 2022, nearly 22 years after his recorded date of birth.

• Within 20 days, he was issued a Haryana Resident Certificate on September 1, 2022.

• The Regional Passport Office, Delhi, issued him a passport on June 20, 2023, listing Delhi as his place of birth with the same address as on the MCD birth certificate.

However, records from the Citizen Resource Information Department (Family ID dated Aug 30, 2022) indicate that Sanjeev is a resident of Jind, Haryana.

WFI Response

A source from WFI said, “Upon examination of the documents submitted by the wrestler, the WFI has found these discrepancies. Given these discrepancies, the federation is unable to ascertain the domicile of the wrestler.” The documents have been forwarded to the competent authorities for verification.

In an official notice signed by WFI President Sanjay Kumar Singh, the wrestler has been suspended from all wrestling-related activities under the WFI, effective immediately. The order will remain in force until further notice, pending the outcome of the verification process.