Wrestling
WFI suspends international wrestler Sanjeev for domicile, identity forgery
The suspension will remain until further notice, the WFI said.
Sanjeev was a quarterfinalist at the 2024 World Championships. (Photo credit: WFI)
In a move to ensure transparency and curb age-related fraud in the sport, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) suspended international wrestler Sanjeev on Thursday.
Sanjeev, a quarter-finalist in 55kg Greco Roman at the 2024 World Championships, has been suspended after major discrepancies were found in his domicile and personal identification documents.
WFI has identified and taken action against 150 wrestlers so far.
According to a notice issued by the WFI dated October 23, the suspension will remain in effect pending an official verification by the authorities concerned.
“A Birth Certificate was issued by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Rohini Zone, vide Registration No. MCDOLIR-0122-0908119172, dated 9th August 2022, issued 22 years after the recorded date of birth. Subsequently, a Haryana Resident Certificate (No. HR/2022/973) was issued on 1st September 2022, i.e., within 20 days of the issuance of the above-mentioned Birth Certificate,” the notice, which is in possession of The Bridge read.
The following year, the Regional Passport Office, Delhi, issued Sanjeev a passport showing Delhi as his place of birth and recording the same Delhi address listed on the MCD certificate.
However, records from the Citizen Resource Information Department (CRID) indicate that Sanjeev s/o Umed is listed as a resident of Jind, Haryana, under Family ID No. 8QJK2142, dated August 30, 2022.
Citing the conflicting documents, the WFI stated it was “unable to ascertain the genuine domicile of the said wrestler” and sought clarifications from the issuing departments.
Sanjeev had won his opening bout before losing this next bout of the 2024 World Wrestling Championships held from October 28 to 31 last year in non-Olympic weight categories.
