With the clock ticking towards the women’s competition at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is making a last-ditch effort to secure US visas for four Indian women wrestlers whose applications were rejected, hoping diplomatic intervention will allow them to compete on the international stage.
Parveen (50kg), Ahilya Shatrughn Shinde (55kg), Neha Sharma (57kg) and Neha Sangwan (65kg) are awaiting a favourable response from the US Embassy after their visa applications were reportedly rejected over concerns regarding their age and employment status. With the women’s events scheduled to begin on October 14, the federation is hoping that the remaining window will be enough to resolve the issue. WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar said the federation was pursuing the matter and remained optimistic about a possible reconsideration.
“We are hopeful that the US Embassy will reconsider the decision, particularly in the case of our women wrestlers. They have prepared for this competition and we are making every possible effort to ensure that they get an opportunity to represent India at the World Championships,” Tomar said. The U23 World Championships, being held in Las Vegas from October 12 to 18, bring together emerging wrestling talent from across the world. The tournament offers young athletes an important opportunity to gain international experience and test themselves against competitors at a crucial stage of their careers.
The visa controversy extends beyond the women’s team, with five Indian Greco-Roman wrestlers also denied permission to travel. The affected athletes are Samarth Gajanan Mhakave, Dheeraj Kumar Malik, Sachin Kumar, Nikhil and Hardeep. Their events began on Monday, October 12, with the 60kg, 67kg, 72kg, 82kg and 97kg categories scheduled for the opening day. The timing has made the situation particularly challenging for the Greco-Roman contingent, as the competition schedule leaves little room for delays.
The WFI has been working to secure clearances for the affected wrestlers, with the uncertainty raising concerns about India’s representation across the tournament’s disciplines. Despite the setbacks, six members of India’s women’s wrestling contingent have received their visas and are available to compete in their respective weight categories. The cleared wrestlers are Sweety (53kg), Komal (59kg), Vaishnavi Patil (65kg), Mansi Lather (68kg), Amruta Pujari (72kg) and Diksha Malik (76kg).
All the men’s freestyle wrestlers have also received their visas, providing some relief to the Indian contingent ahead of the remaining competition. According to United World Wrestling’s official schedule, the women’s freestyle events are spread across October 14 and 15, with the corresponding medal rounds taking place on October 15 and 16. The narrow window for the affected athletes to obtain clearance makes the federation’s efforts particularly urgent. The situation highlights how administrative hurdles can threaten an athlete’s opportunity to compete, even after months of preparation and selection for a major international event.
For wrestlers at the U23 level, participation is about more than medals. It provides valuable exposure, competitive experience and a chance to measure their progress against international opposition. While visa decisions remain the responsibility of the relevant authorities, the immediate priority is to establish whether the four women wrestlers can receive clearance before their events begin. The WFI’s appeal reflects the importance of timely coordination between sporting federations and diplomatic authorities when athletes travel to represent their country.
For India’s young wrestlers, the hope is that the remaining opportunity will not be lost to circumstances beyond the wrestling mat. The coming days will determine whether the affected athletes can join their teammates in Las Vegas and compete at a championship for which they have worked to qualify.
