Aman Sehrawat likely to miss 2026 Asian Games due to one-year ban by WFI

The 22-year-old was disqualified from World Wrestling Championships last month.

Paris Olympics bronze medalist Aman Sehrawat has been handed a one-year suspension by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) following his disqualification from the World Wrestling Championships last month.

The 22-year-old freestyle wrestler was barred from competing after he exceeded the 57kg weight limit, a lapse that the federation termed “unacceptable” for an athlete of his stature.

The World Championships, a crucial event on the international wrestling calendar, was held in Zagreb, Croatia, from September 13 to 21. India had a dismal run at the competition, finishing with one bronze medal, courtesy of Antim Panghal.

Aman, who entered the competition as one of India’s strongest medal contenders in the 57kg category, failed to make weight during the official weigh-in, leading to his immediate disqualification before his first bout.

In a strongly worded letter, the WFI condemned the incident, expressing deep disappointment over the breach of professionalism.

“As an Olympic medallist, the federation expected the highest standards of discipline, professionalism and commitment from you. Failure to manage your weight has not only damaged your personal credibility but also tarnished the nation’s image on the global stage, causing disappointment among the wrestling fraternity and supporters,” the letter read.

The federation further stated that Aman’s negligence “deprived India of a potential medal” and caused “significant financial loss due to the expenditure incurred by the Government of India for your participation and training.”

The one-year suspension means that Aman will be barred from all domestic and international competitions under the WFI banner during this period. If the ban runs its full course, it could severely affect his preparation for the upcoming Asian Games, scheduled to take place from September 30 to October 3 next year.

Also Read: Instances where wrestlers were disqualified due to being overweight by UWW

Who were the other Indian wrestlers who missed their weight?

This is the third case involving an Indian wrestler in less than a year. Earlier, Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics after failing to make weight for the 50kg category final, ending India’s medal hopes in that division.

Similarly, Neha Sangwan faced disqualification at the 2025 World Under-20 Championships due to the same issue, highlighting an alarming pattern of weight management lapses among Indian wrestlers.

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