Sanjay Singh, the newly elected and the now suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president was determined to hold the senior nationals as announced by the body, despite the Union Sports Ministry directing that it won't recognise it. Singh remained defiant saying that he didn't recognise the suspension of the body nor the ad-hoc committee despite the Sports Ministry's suspension of WFI on December 24 following 'hasty' decision of announcing the U-15 and U-20 nationals.
Speaking to the reporters in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, Singh said that the activities have been halted and there is no suspension while saying that the nationals will go ahead as planned. "The Wrestling Federation has not been suspended. Only the activities are halted. We are an autonomous body, it cannot be banned. We are doing our work and will continue to do that... We have announced, so we will hold them [nationals]. We do not recognise the Ad-hoc committee," Singh said.
After the suspended WFI body announced on Saturday, January 6 senior nationals were to be held in Pune, the Sports Ministry reprimanded it saying that it won't recognise any events since the body is suspended and denied them using the letterhead or logo of the ministry in any which way and could find itself in violation of National Sports Development Code of India, 2011(Sports Code) and the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.
"It has come to the notice of the Ministry that you have issued a Circular bearing No. WFI/Senior National/Maharashtra/2024 dated 06.01.2024 on the letterhead of the Wrestling Federation of India regarding conduct of Senior National Wrestling Championship 2023 at Pune (Maharashtra) from 29-31 January 2024," Ministry said in the letter.
"As per this Ministry's order dated 24.12.2023, you have no authority to issue such a Circular or to use the letterhead of the Wrestling Federation of India wherein you claim affiliation of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
The ad-hoc committee had announced that the Senior Nationals will take place in Jaipur from February 2-5. After which, Singh-led WFI came up with its own dates and schedule, which the ministry stepped back from recognising.
