In a massive move to eradicate age manipulation from domestic mat sports, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has slapped strict four-year suspensions on five junior wrestlers. The disciplinary action comes immediately after a rigorous verification exercise exposed that the athletes had submitted fraudulent, forged birth certificates to clear eligibility criteria for national and international age-group selections.
WFI President Sanjay Kumar Singh issued a stern directive, stating that the governing body has taken a “very serious view” of the ongoing crisis. According to the federation, despite prior warnings and structural crackdowns, several athletes continued attempting to game the system by presenting alternative, fabricated municipal documents to sneak into lower age brackets.
Big Names Disqualified Ahead of Asian Championship
The investigation has severely disrupted the upcoming Indian national contingent. Among those suspended is Deepanshu, who had newly clinched the men’s freestyle 65kg U20 Asian Championship trials. Official cross-verification with the Registrar (Birth and Death) of the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh, revealed his records were entirely missing from official state registers. He has now been stripped of his spot and replaced by Pawan Balaji Dhayagude.
The tournament, scheduled to commence on June 27, 2026, in Pattaya, Thailand, will also miss the other four disqualified wrestlers: Tanuj Antil, Baljot Singh, Nikhil Dalal, and Saket Drall. Notably, Saket Drall had fought his way into the 86kg trial finals before the fraud was uncovered; he has since been replaced by Sahil Dalal.
At a Glance: WFI Disciplinary Actions
The federation’s swift action serves as a warning to athletes attempting to manipulate age brackets for competitive advantages:
| Suspended Athlete | Weight Category / Event Status | Official Replacement | Punitive Action |
| Deepanshu | 65kg Freestyle (Trial Winner) | Pawan Balaji Dhayagude | 4-Year Competitive Ban |
| Saket Drall | 86kg Freestyle (Trial Finalist) | Sahil Dalal | 4-Year Competitive Ban |
| Tanuj Antil | Age-Group National Demographics | N/A | 4-Year Competitive Ban |
| Baljot Singh | Age-Group National Demographics | N/A | 4-Year Competitive Ban |
| Nikhil Dalal | Age-Group National Demographics | N/A | 4-Year Competitive Ban |
Conflict of Interest: Referee Commission Member Under Fire
In a secondary, explosive development, the WFI has issued an official show-cause notice to Jaibir, an active member of the WFI Referee Commission, over blatant misconduct during the Asian Games selection trials held in Lucknow.
The Conflict of Interest Incident
While actively officiating on the mat designated for Greco-Roman bouts, Jaibir’s son, Ronak Dahiya, advanced to the finals of the grueling 130kg category. In an unprecedented breach of professional ethics, Jaibir allegedly stripped off his official technical referee kit mid-tournament to actively coach his son from the corner while remaining on the official tournament payroll.
Jaibir, who is currently finishing an overseas assignment at the third Ranking Tournament in Mongolia, has been given until June 10, 2026, to submit a formal written explanation. The WFI confirmed he will face an immediate temporary suspension the moment he touches down in India, reiterating that all technical officials must recuse themselves from matches involving immediate family members to preserve the absolute integrity of Indian wrestling.