Indian wrestlers face visa hurdles for U23 World Championships

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is appealing to the US Embassy after several athletes were denied visas for the U23 World Championships in Las Vegas. While the full 10-member men's freestyle team has received clearance, the participation of Greco-Roman and women's wrestlers remains uncertain.

According to the WFI, four women wrestlers—Parveen (50kg), Ahilya Shatrughn Shinde (55kg), Neha Sharma (57kg), and Neha Sangwan (65kg)—and five Greco-Roman wrestlers faced visa rejections. The US Embassy reportedly cited the athletes' ages (under 20) and unemployment status as reasons for the denials.

The WFI is urgently seeking reconsideration to ensure the athletes can compete in their respective categories, which are scheduled to begin between October 12 and October 16. WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar stated that the federation is making every effort to resolve the issue before the competition window closes.