The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has taken stringent action by suspending 11 wrestlers for submitting fake birth certificates, following a detailed verification process conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The probe arose from concerns over widespread age manipulation and athletes competing in states other than their domicile by using forged or delayed birth certificates.

The MCD undertook a review of 110 birth certificates submitted by wrestlers, amid growing suspicion that many of these documents were falsified or issued long after the birth dates. Notably, several certificates were registered 12 to 15 years post-birth, raising red flags about the legitimacy of these documents. The MCD clarified that 95 of the delayed registrations were issued only on orders from the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), thereby denying any procedural lapses on their part.

However, the investigation revealed that 11 certificates were indeed fake or digitally altered and not issued by the MCD. The implicated wrestlers include Saksham, Manuj, Kavita, Anshu, Arush Rana, Shubham, Gautam, Jagrup Dhankar, Nakul, Dushyant, and Siddharth Baliyan. Most of these fraudulent certificates originated from the Narela zone, with others traced to Najafgarh, Rohini, Civil Line, and City zones in Delhi.

Also Read: Olympic Bronze Transforms Aman Sehrawat’s Life, But He’s Chasing Gold

The WFI has already suspended five of these athletes and issued suspension notices to the remaining six as of August 7, 2025. A WFI official confirmed the federation’s commitment to eradicating corruption and unfair practices in the sport, stating, “We want a clean system where no genuine wrestler is wronged and no one gains unfair advantage.”

This issue is compounded by the intense competition in Haryana, a traditional wrestling hub, where many athletes reportedly obtain Delhi birth certificates to bypass stiff state-level competition and participate under the Delhi banner. This has resulted in unfair advantages at junior team trials and other competitions where age categories and domicile rules are strictly enforced.

Adding to the controversy, a complaint was lodged with the Sports Ministry by the father of Delhi wrestler Ritika. He alleged that a Haryana-based wrestler, Ishika, was allowed to compete for Delhi in violation of WFI domicile rules. He requested an inquiry to uphold transparency and fairness in the sport.

The MCD also noted instances where wrestlers manipulated registration dates, further complicating verification efforts. The WFI’s ongoing efforts to cleanse the sport aim to ensure that age fraud and domicile violations do not compromise the integrity of wrestling competitions in India.

Also Read: Wrestling Legend Hulk Hogan Passes Away at 71