U-17 Women’s Wrestling World Champs Stranded in Jordan: SAI’s Mistake with Separate Flights Delays Return After Winning 5 Gold Medals

The Indian U-17 women’s wrestling team, which has just won the World Championship, is stranded at Amman’s airport in Jordan. According to sources cited by news agency PTI, the wrestlers missed their flight because the Sports Authority of India (SAI) had booked the players’ and coaches’ tickets on different airlines.

The team secured the team championship by winning a total of 8 medals, including 5 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze. There has been no official statement from SAI on the matter yet.

History ✨ made by the #TeamIndia girls at the #U17WorldWrestlingChampionships

Our U-17 girls wrestlers 🤼‍♀deliver the best-ever performance by an Indian girls contingent at the 🌎 U17 World Wrestling Championships, winning a total of 8⃣ medals, including 5 Gold 🥇, 1 Silver… pic.twitter.com/wCx7WW3WNp

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) August 24, 2024

9 Young Wrestlers Stranded Due to SAI and WFI’s Negligence

According to reports, 9 female wrestlers and 3 coaches were supposed to return to India on Saturday evening, but their tickets were booked on different flights due to negligence. Coaches Jai Bhagwan, Shilpi Shyoran, and Rekha Rani were scheduled to board an Emirates flight with a stopover in Dubai, while the young wrestlers were booked on Qatar Airways.

#Update U-1⃣7⃣ World #Wrestling🤼‍♀ Championship, Jordan 🇯🇴✅

Our talented women #Wrestlers continue to shine ✨ as they clinched 4⃣ more medals on Day three of the event.

Kudos to our latest medallists👇

* Kajal: #Gold🥇in 69kg WW
* Shrutika Shivaji Patil: #Silver🥈 in 46kg… pic.twitter.com/u1RgCg4ibk

— SAI Media (@Media_SAI) August 24, 2024

The coaches’ flight (EK904) was set to depart from Amman at 6:10 PM and reach Dubai at 10:10 PM. From there, they were to take a connecting flight at 3:55 AM to reach Delhi at 9:05 AM. On the other hand, the wrestlers’ flight (QR401) was supposed to depart at 8:30 PM and arrive in Doha at 11:10 PM. However, it left at 6:18 PM. It is unclear whether the departure time was changed.

SAI had posted the previous day, “The future of Indian wrestling is in safe hands.” But following the stranding of under-17 girls in Jordan due to SAI and WFI’s negligence, questions are being raised about the safety of Indian wrestlers.

WFI Working to Bring Players Back

A source connected with the team stated that at least one coach should have traveled with the young wrestlers. Efforts are now being made to bring them back on the first available flight. 

Meanwhile, an official from the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has confirmed that efforts are underway to bring the wrestlers back to India on the first available flight.