‘At Least 5 Would Have Won Gold’: WFI Chief Sanjay Singh Slams US Embassy After 9 Indian Wrestlers Denied US Visas For U23 World Championships | Exclusive
· Free Press Journal
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh on Wednesday criticised the US Embassy decision denying visa to nine Indian wrestlers claiming that at least five of the affected athletes could have won gold medals at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas which began on 12 October.
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Shikhar Dhawan Threatens Legal Action Against World T20 Continent Cup Organisers For Using His Name Without PermissionThe US Embassy rejected their visa applications because the athletes were under 20 years of age and lacked full-time employment. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) criticized the decision, pointing out that U23 athletes train full-time and rarely hold traditional Jobs(2/5)
— Navin sports (@Navinsports) October 13, 2026
'At least 5 would have won gold'
Speaking to the Free Press Journal, Singh said the Wrestling federation had contacted both the US Embassy and United World Wrestling (UWW) to resolve the visa issue but to no avail. The Five Greco-Roman and four women wrestlers were denied visas for being under 20 years of age and unemployed.
"Visas of 9 wrestlers have been rejected. It is a fault of the US Embassy. I had spoken to them and also the United World Wrestling regarding the same. It is unfortunate," Sanjay Singh, president of Wrestling Federation of India told Free Press Journal.
The WFI chief also questioned the apparent emphasis on employment status, pointing out that wrestling was the full-time occupation of the young athletes. "These are 20 year olds. Wrestling is their full time job. I am certain atleast 5 of them would have won the gold," he added.
Hyderabad Police Arrest 4 For Allegedly Black-Marketing Complimentary India-West Indies 4th T20I Tickets At Inflated Prices, Seize 11 ‘Not For Sale’ Passes9 INDIAN WRESTLERS DENIED US VISAS!
— The Khel India (@TheKhelIndia) October 14, 2026
Nine Indian wrestlers, including 2024 U17 World Champion Neha Sangwan, have been denied visas for the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas.
The reason? Being under 20 and having no full-time jobs, despite being full-time… pic.twitter.com/XW4pmnY9wM
The girls are ready to take on the world!
— Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) (@wfi_wrestling) October 12, 2026
The Indian U-23 Women’s Wrestling Team heads to Las Vegas, USA for the U-23 World Wrestling Championships, from 12–18 October.
Wishing the entire team the very best! ♀️#IndianWrestling #TeamIndia #U23WorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/cTK2vMTTcB
Why were Indian wrestlers denied visas?
Eight of the nine were aged 20 or below, while one wrestler who had recently joined the Indian Railways was reportedly unable to provide the requested salary details. The refusals came amid a broader tightening of US immigration and visa policies, including expanded screening and vetting requirements for certain visa categories and restrictions affecting nationals of 39 countries.