Kota (Rajasthan) [India], April 20 (ANI): Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla inaugurated the National Wrestling Championship in Kota on Sunday.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president, Sanjay Singh, was also present at the event.

Speaking to the media, Birla said, 'The National Wrestling Championship has started. I want to congratulate all the wrestlers. India has been winning medals internationally and I hope it wins more because the game and the athlete are disciplined, patriotic and in life, through sports, players become stronger mentally and physically. In the coming times, the youth will take inspiration from Kota and participate in all kinds of sports. Wrestling is a sport played on our soil. This sport has been popular in various villages.'

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Recently in the Asian Wrestling Championships, India concluded the competition with a total of 10 medals, including a gold, three silver and six bronze medals. The competiton was held from March 25 to 30.

Recently, WFI also announced on March 24 that its President, Sanjay Kumar Singh, had been elected as a Bureau Member of United World Wrestling (UWW)-Asia. The election took place during the UWW-Asia General Assembly in Amman, Jordan.

Sanjay secured an impressive 22 votes out of 38, demonstrating strong support from the Asian wrestling community. His election to this prestigious position marks a significant achievement for Indian wrestling, further strengthening the country's presence on the international wrestling stage.

Earlier, on March 11, the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports lifted the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India, restoring its recognition as a National Sports Federation (NSF) for wrestling.

The Sports Ministry suspended the WFI after its newly elected president, Sanjay, announced plans to hold the U-15 and U-20 national championships in Nandini Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, in December 2023.

Since 2023, top Indian wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, have led protests against the WFI and its former president, Brij Bhushan Singh, accusing him of sexual assault.

In August 2023, United World Wrestling (UWW) banned the WFI for failing to hold elections within the required time frame. This followed protests and allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Singh. In response, the International Olympic Association (IOA) set up an ad-hoc committee to manage WFI's affairs.

Elections were finally held in December 2023, and Sanjay Kumar Singh was elected as WFI president. However, wrestlers protested against his election, saying he was an associate of Brij Bhushan Singh. Days later, the Sports Ministry suspended the federation again after Sanjay Kumar Singh announced the U-15 and U-20 nationals in Nandini Nagar. The IOA then re-established an ad-hoc committee to oversee WFI's operations. (ANI)