Nine Indian Wrestlers Denied US Visas Before U23 World Championships

Nine Indian wrestlers were refused US visas at the American Embassy in New Delhi on Wednesday, 7 October 2026. The refusals put India's participation in the U23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, scheduled from 12 to 18 October, under a cloud. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has written to the embassy asking it to reconsider the decisions. The federation is also worried about the remaining wrestlers due for appointments on Thursday, 8 October.

The refusals threaten India's presence at an event that feeds young wrestlers into the senior team. The U23 category links junior success to senior competition, and wrestling has been one of India's most reliable Olympic sports. Missing a mandatory UWW event costs athletes ranking opportunities and match experience.

The WFI argues that the reported grounds, age and lack of formal employment, do not fit the event. The championship is open to athletes aged 18 to 23, many of whom train full-time. The federation has asked the US Embassy to take this into account.

India has faced this before. The WFI said then that it was the first time a government-funded national team had been refused visas. Antim Panghal, then India's U20 world champion, was among those refused.

The timing adds to the concern. India has just had a strong run at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan, where Aman Sehrawat won gold and the wrestling squad finished with six medals. Antim Panghal won silver in the women's 53kg event. Age-group world championships give the next group of medal hopefuls international exposure.

The issue also goes beyond one tournament. It raises a wider question about how young Indian athletes are treated in visa processes for major events abroad, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The US Embassy has not publicly explained the individual refusals. Visa decisions in the United States are made case by case, and applicants can reapply.

Short-term: Nine of the 16 wrestlers who attended interviews cannot currently travel to Las Vegas. With the championship opening on 12 October, time for any reapplication or review is short. The embassy must respond to the WFI's request. The second batch of wrestlers must also complete their interviews on 8 October. If the refusals stand, India may send a reduced squad. Neha Sangwan, the 2024 U17 World Champion, is among those affected.

Long-term: The episode shows how visa rules can affect young athletes' progress. Age-group world championships connect junior success to the senior team, and missed events cost ranking opportunities and match experience. The case may shape how Indian federations prepare visa applications for events abroad, and it raises questions about future tournaments, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The earlier Spanish refusals in 2022 suggest the problem is not limited to one country or one event.

Who is affected: The most directly affected are the nine wrestlers refused visas, most of them below 20 and not formally employed. The remaining wrestlers due for appointments on 8 October face the same risk. The WFI, which selects and manages the squad, is also affected, as are the support staff travelling with the team. More broadly, young Indian athletes who train full-time and have no formal employment may face similar questions when applying for visas for events held abroad.

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