The Wrestling Federation of India’s decision to lift the suspensions of Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat and junior wrestler Neha Sangwan has ignited a conversation that stretches far beyond the mat.
Announced on November 14, 2025, the reversal marks a significant shift in tone from a federation that just weeks ago vowed to enforce strict discipline after a series of avoidable weight-management failures on the international stage. This was not merely an administrative decision. It was a moment that exposed the competing pressures shaping modern Indian wrestling the need to enforce credibility, the urgency of safeguarding athlete welfare, and the commercial weight of the sport’s biggest domestic league.
Aman Sehrawat’s fall from grace earlier this year shocked the Indian wrestling community. The 57kg freestyle star India’s youngest Olympic medallist missed weight by 1.7kg at the World Championships in Zagreb in September. Neha Sangwan’s disqualification at the Junior Worlds in Bulgaria followed a similar pattern. Both were served show-cause notices and handed harsh suspensions: one year for Aman, two years for Neha. At the time, WFI officials made it clear these were meant to send a message.
The Disciplinary Committee, after reviewing written apologies on November 13, softened its stance. But the timing of its recommendation is impossible to view in isolation. The Pro Wrestling League (PWL) India’s flagship professional competition is preparing for a high-profile relaunch in January 2026. Aman Sehrawat, a Paris 2024 bronze medallist with immense marketability, is arguably the league’s biggest domestic draw.
The reversal restores Aman’s eligibility just in time for the PWL auction. It ensures the league can market its return with its brightest star at the forefront a critical factor when franchise owners, sponsors, and broadcasters weigh their investment. In short, the WFI’s role as regulator intersects directly with its role as promoter. The reinstatement helps protect the commercial viability of an event the federation now fully controls.
The Bigger Picture: A Weight-Management Problem That Runs Deep
While the reinstatement may solve an immediate problem, it also highlights a chronic issue in Indian wrestling: the absence of a modern, standardized weight-cutting system. Aman’s explanation that he was ill and unable to shed the last few hundred grams reveals the fragility of drastic weight-drop practices. At elite levels, weight descent is a science, monitored closely through medical oversight, nutrition protocols, and regulated descent plans.
In leading wrestling nations and systems such as the NCAA, weekly weight-loss limits and certified hydration tests are non-negotiable. India, despite its sharp rise in global wrestling, continues to rely on outdated, dangerous methods that leave athletes on the edge of disqualification and sometimes health risks. The WFI’s disciplinary narrative focused heavily on athlete responsibility, yet concluded with only warnings to the coaches responsible for monitoring weight. This inconsistency reveals a structural gap. Athletes cut weight; coaches and medical teams ensure they do so safely. Without accountability across all levels, future lapses are not only possible they are predictable.
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The reinstatement also prompts a deeper debate about fairness. WFI cited the athletes’ achievements as a reason for leniency. But this raises a fundamental question: Would a lesser-known wrestler, without Olympic credentials or market pull, have received the same treatment? The federation has no formal, published policy on what constitutes a “first-time lapse,” nor clear guidelines that guarantee equal disciplinary measures regardless of an athlete’s profile.
By reversing a one-year and two-year ban within weeks, the WFI risks creating the perception that disciplinary outcomes are negotiable or worse, determined by commercial value. From a business standpoint, the federation’s decision makes immediate sense. The PWL’s reboot depends on marquee names. Aman Sehrawat is projected to attract ₹65–₹90 lakh in the auction, and his presence ensures fan engagement, franchise interest, and broadcast value. Removing him from the player pool would have weakened not just the 57kg category but the entire league narrative.
But this commercial logic collides with the standards of governance that national sports require. When the same organization is responsible for both disciplinary oversight and commercial promotion, decisions inevitably become complex.
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Aman’s reinstatement benefits many stakeholders the athlete, the league, the federation, and even India’s prospects at the 2026 Asian Games. But it also sets a precedent that the WFI must now manage carefully. The federation has warned that a repeat offence will result in “stricter action.” That warning must be backed by clear, codified policies, not discretionary judgment calls.
If the WFI wishes to maintain credibility, it must move quickly to:
- •Publish transparent disciplinary guidelines,
- •Enforce real accountability on coaching staff,
- •Implement medically supervised weight-cut systems, and
- •Create an appeals mechanism aligned with international best practices.
A Decision That Reflects the State of Indian Wrestling
The reinstatement of Aman Sehrawat and Neha Sangwan is not simply about two wrestlers returning to competition. It is a snapshot of a sport at a turning point where India’s rising global ambitions collide with the realities of governance, athlete management, and commercial sport.
The WFI may have resolved an immediate crisis, but the long-term credibility of Indian wrestling will depend on whether the lessons of 2025 lead to systemic reform or whether this reversal becomes yet another moment where short-term priorities override long-term vision.
