New Delhi : The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) made headlines on the opening day of the National Wrestling Championships in Sambhaji Nagar by barring an under-17 female wrestler from competing in the women’s 57kg category over serious discrepancies in her birth certificates.
Conflicting Documents Trigger Red Flag
During routine registration verification, officials discovered that the wrestler’s father had submitted two birth certificates from different states — one from Madhya Pradesh and another from Rajasthan — both claiming the same date of birth yet showing conflicting registration details.
The Madhya Pradesh certificate listed a birth date of 26 August 2010 but was registered and issued on 16 November 2021, more than a decade after the birth.
A second certificate from Rajasthan also stated 26 August 2010 as the date of birth, yet showed registration on 1 September 2010 — with the official issue date arriving much later in April 2025.
These inconsistencies raised immediate concerns among WFI officials about the integrity of age documentation and the process through which such certificates can be obtained across state lines.
WFI Stance: Zero Tolerance on Age Manipulation
The athlete’s father maintained that the second certificate was obtained after the family relocated — a common explanation in age-group competitions — and insisted there was no manipulation of the birth date.
However, WFI officials were unconvinced. “It raises serious concerns. We are expected to ensure strict compliance on age eligibility, but how are such certificates being issued without proper checks?” a federation representative said, underscoring the potential impact such discrepancies have on fair competition.
WFI has long flagged age fraud as a persistent issue in Indian wrestling, pointing out similar certificate anomalies involving athletes from several states. The federation has repeatedly called for enhanced cross-state coordination and tighter verification mechanisms to curb this growing loophole.
Beyond One Case: Systemic Concerns
Sports administrators see this incident not as an isolated case but as part of a broader challenge that undermines fair play in age-group tournaments. Officials argue that birth records must be reliably verified at source since eligibility for tournaments and future opportunities — including national selection pathways — hinge on accurate age documentation.
With initiatives around age fraud under renewed focus across sports in India, the WFI’s action sends a clear message: documentation discrepancies will be scrutinised, and athletes found at odds with eligibility rules may be held accountable before they step on the mat.
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