WFI chief slams US Embassy as 9 Indian U23 wrestlers denied Las Vegas visas
Synopsis
Nine Indian U23 wrestlers — in Greco-Roman and women's categories — were barred from the Las Vegas World Championships because the US Embassy called them unemployed and under 20. WFI chief Sanjay Singh says it is the first time this has happened and that at least two gold medals were lost. Meanwhile, Vishvajit More wrote history by becoming India's first-ever Greco-Roman U23 Worlds finalist.
Key Takeaways
Nine Indian U23 wrestlers were denied US visas for the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2026 in Las Vegas , the US Embassy citing unemployment and age under 20.
WFI president Sanjay Singh called it unprecedented in the tournament's history and said at least two gold medal prospects were among those denied.
The UWW president reportedly wrote to the US Embassy on behalf of the athletes, but the denial stood.
The full 10-member men's freestyle team was cleared; only the Greco-Roman and women's wrestling squads were affected.
Vishvajit More became India's first-ever Greco-Roman finalist at the U23 Worlds, reaching the 55kg final in Las Vegas on 13 October .
More faces Koba Karumidze of Georgia for the gold medal, with a win making him the first Indian to claim Greco-Roman gold at the U23 Worlds.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh on Wednesday, 14 October 2026 launched a sharp attack on the US Embassy after nine Indian U23 wrestlers were denied visas for the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2026 in Las Vegas, with the embassy citing the athletes' age (under 20) and lack of full-time employment as grounds for rejection. Singh alleged the refusal directly cost India at least two gold medals, calling it an unprecedented failure in the tournament's history.
What Happened
The nine denied wrestlers competed across the Greco-Roman and women's wrestling categories. According to Singh, the US Embassy rejected their applications specifically because the grapplers were under 20 and unemployed — a standard demographic profile for elite junior athletes. Notably, the full 10-member men's freestyle team received clearance and travelled to Las Vegas without issue, making the visa dispute exclusive to the Greco-Roman and women's contingents.
Singh said this is the first time in the championship's history that Indian wrestlers have been denied on such grounds. He added that even the United World Wrestling (UWW) president wrote to the embassy on behalf of the affected athletes, but the intervention did not change the outcome.
What Sanjay Singh Said
'The US Embassy rejected the visas of nine Indian wrestlers on the grounds that they are unemployed. For the first time in history this has happened. Even the UWW president wrote to them regarding the matter. This visa refusal is entirely the US Embassy's fault, and as a result, India lost out on gold medals. Among the nine wrestlers denied visas, at least two were strong gold medal prospects. India suffered a major medal loss due to the US Embassy's fault,' Singh said.
Vishvajit More Defies the Setback
Against the backdrop of the visa controversy, Vishvajit More emerged as a rare bright spot for India's Greco-Roman campaign. More became India's first-ever Greco-Roman finalist at the U23 World Championships in Las Vegas on Tuesday, 13 October, backing up his status as a two-time bronze medallist at the U23 world level.
More opened his day with a hard-fought 10-8 win over Isaac Marin Mata of Mexico, then produced a clinical performance against U20 world champion Armin Shamsipour, deploying a four-pointer throw to win 8-1. Shamsipour appeared to sustain a shoulder injury during the bout. More then edged Malik Gigiev of Russia 7-4 after a lengthy video review to book his place in the 55kg final.
To etch his name in history as the first Indian to win a Greco-Roman gold at the U23 Worlds, More will face Koba Karumidze of Georgia in the final — an opponent who also required a dramatic semifinal to advance, defeating Barsbek Asankozhoev of Kyrgyzstan.
Tournament Schedule and Broader Impact
The U23 World Championships are structured across three phases: Greco-Roman events ran from 12–14 October, women's wrestling from 14–16 October, and men's freestyle from 16–18 October. The visa denials struck at the heart of India's Greco-Roman and women's wrestling squads — the two disciplines where the federation reportedly had the strongest medal expectations beyond the freestyle category.
This controversy arrives at a sensitive moment for Indian wrestling, which has faced administrative and reputational pressures in recent years. The episode is likely to trigger a diplomatic and sporting review of the visa clearance process for Indian athletes attending events in the United States. The outcome of More's gold-medal bout could partly define how India's overall U23 Worlds campaign is remembered.
Point of View
Full-time athletes are unemployable and therefore visa risks — exposes a structural blind spot in how American consular policy handles elite junior sportspeople, who by definition are not in conventional employment. This is not merely an administrative slip; it is a systemic failure that the Indian sports establishment and the government must push back on diplomatically before the next major US-hosted event. The WFI's frustration is legitimate, but the federation must also ask why visa applications for a tournament of this scale were not filed early enough to allow for appeal. And in the middle of the controversy, Vishvajit More's historic final berth is at risk of being overshadowed — a disservice to a performance that deserves its own headline.
NationPress
14 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why were Indian wrestlers denied visas for the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2026?
The US Embassy denied visas to nine Indian U23 wrestlers on the grounds that they were under 20 years of age and did not hold full-time jobs. WFI president Sanjay Singh called it the first time in the tournament's history that Indian wrestlers had been rejected on such grounds.
How many Indian wrestlers were denied visas and which categories were affected?
Nine wrestlers were denied visas, spanning the Greco-Roman and women's wrestling categories. The full 10-member men's freestyle team was cleared and travelled to Las Vegas without issue.
Did the UWW intervene on behalf of the Indian wrestlers?
Yes. According to WFI president Sanjay Singh, the United World Wrestling (UWW) president wrote directly to the US Embassy requesting reconsideration. The intervention did not change the outcome, and the visas remained denied.
Who is Vishvajit More and why is he significant at the U23 World Championships?
Vishvajit More is an Indian Greco-Roman wrestler who, on 13 October 2026, became the first-ever Indian to reach the Greco-Roman final at the U23 World Championships. A two-time U23 world bronze medallist, he faces Georgia's Koba Karumidze for the 55kg gold medal.
What is the schedule for the U23 World Wrestling Championships 2026 in Las Vegas?
The U23 World Championships in Las Vegas run from 12–18 October 2026. Greco-Roman events were held from 12–14 October, women's wrestling from 14–16 October, and men's freestyle from 16–18 October.
