World Wrestling Championships: Following WFI ban on India, which countries will be participating under neutral flag?

India and two other countries will be participating under the neutral flag at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) faced another setback, receiving a suspension from the United World Wrestling (UWW), the sport's world governing body, for its failure to hold elections on time. The decision will see Indian wrestlers having to compete under a neutral flag (AIN) at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. This comes after the UWW had already warned WFI in a statement on May 30.

India and two other countries will participate under the neutral flag.(File)

UWW's earlier warning to WFI

"UWW will request further information about the next elective general assembly from the IOA and the Ad-hoc Committee of the WFI. The 45-day deadline that was initially set to hold this elective assembly shall be respected. Failing to do so may lead UWW to suspend the federation, thereby forcing the athletes to compete under a neutral flag. It is reminded that UWW already took a measure in this situation by reallocating the Asian Championship planned in New Delhi earlier this year", UWW had earlier said in that statement.

Sexual harrasment allegations against ex- WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

The WFI has been caught up in controversy for the last few months. There has been allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been removed as their chief. India's top wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, protested in New Delhi for a lengthy period of time, followed by the police detaining them for initiating a protest march and their site near Jantar Mantar was cleared out by the authorities.

Which other countries are placed under the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) designation for the Worlds?

It is not just India, who will be participating under the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) designation. They will be joining Russia and Belarus, who returned to international competition at the U-17 European Championships in Tirana (Albania) in June. The two countries were banned due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During the U-17 European Championships, four individuals from Russia and Belarus were denied participation. During the competition, Individual Neutral Athletes were ranked according to their results but weren't allowed to play their anthems or use their respective national flags. For the team rankings, they were unranked.

At the upcoming World Championships, which will be held from September 16 to 24, wrestlers will get a chance to win 90 quotas for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The quotas are 30 each in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling. The Olympic quotas will be arranged across six weight classes; 50kg, 53kg, 57kg, 62kg, 68kg, and 76kg.

Also four non-Olympic weights will be contested (55kg, 59kg, 65kg, 72kg). Placements in these categories will have no impact on Olympic qualification. Wrestlers who bag gold, silver or bronze medals in the six olympic weight categories will seal a place for their countru in Paris. Also, two wrestlers who fall short in the bronze medal bouts will compete in a wrestle-off to seal the fifth quota.