- The Wrestling Federation of India says nine wrestlers were refused U.S. visas after interviews on October seventh, twenty twenty-six.
- The reported reason was “Below 20 and unemployed”, citing athletes’ age and lack of formal employment.
- The team is due to compete in Las Vegas from October twelfth to eighteenth, and the first group plans to leave October tenth.
Nine Indian wrestlers were refused U.S. visas on October 7, 2026, after a group of 16 wrestlers and eight support staff attended interviews. The Wrestling Federation of India asked the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi to review the decisions.
The reported explanation was “Below 20 and unemployed.” The athletes were reportedly told verbally that their age and lack of formal employment led to the refusals.
The federation wants applications from athletes interviewed on Thursday, October 8, reconsidered. It warned the embassy that most of that group were also under 20 and not formally employed.
The team is due to compete at the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, scheduled for October 12–18. The opening date is approaching fast.
The first group is due to leave before the tournament opens
India selected 30 wrestlers for the delegation. The athletes and support personnel who had not yet attended interviews were expected to go on October 8, while the first group was scheduled to leave on October 10.
That timetable leaves only days between the planned departure and the tournament’s start. The federation has sought urgent intervention so refused applicants can still travel if the embassy changes its decisions.
The visa process began on September 14, but the federation had difficulty securing interview appointments. The opening competition date remains October 12.
The federation says athletes fit an under-23 competition, not an employment test
The WFI said many of the athletes are pursuing professional sporting careers and are not formally employed. Wrestlers in an under-23 event are generally between 18 and 23 years old.
A report said eight of the nine refused athletes were 20 or younger. The remaining case involved a wrestler who had worked for Indian Railways for only one or two months and could not provide salary details.
The reported explanation also places age and employment at the center of the appeal. The federation asked the embassy to reconsider the refusals rather than treat young athletes’ lack of conventional employment as a reason to deny their applications.
The appeal names nine wrestlers and warns Thursday’s applicants face the same risk
The federation identified the refused athletes as Samarth Gajanan Mhakave, Dheeraj Kumar Malik, Sachin Kumar, Nikhil, Hardeep, Parveen, Ahilya Shatrughn Shinde, Neha Sharma and Neha Sangwan. Sangwan is the 2024 U17 World Champion.
In its letter, the federation said 24 participants, including 16 wrestlers, attended appointments and nine wrestlers were refused. It asked the embassy to reconsider and copied its U.S. counterpart while seeking intervention ahead of the delegation’s scheduled travel.
The remaining applicants were expected to attend interviews on October 8. The first group’s planned departure is October 10.
