The Sports Ministry has suspended the just-elected Wrestling Federation of India body after the new President Sanjay Singh announced the U-15 and U-20 nationals. After being elected as the new WFI chief, Sanjay Singh announced that the nationals will take place in Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP) before the end of this year. The Sports Ministry has said that the announcement is hasty and without sufficient notice to the wrestlers.
"Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh, newly elected President of Wrestling Federation of India announced on 21.12.2023, the day he was elected as president, that U-15 and U-20 nationals for Wrestling will take place in Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP) before the end of this year. This announcement is hasty, without giving sufficient notice to wrestlers who are to take part in the said nationals and without following the provisions of the constitution of WFI," the Sports Ministry said in a statement.
"As per clause 3 (e) of preamble of constitution of WFI, object of the WFI, among others, is to arrange holding of Senior, Junior and Sub Junior National Championships as per UWW Rules at places selected by the Executive Committee. Such decisions are to be taken by Executive Committee, before which agendas are required to be placed for consideration. As per Article XI of the WFI constitution under the Heading ‘Notices and Quorum for Meetings’, minimum notice period for EC meeting is 15 clear days and quorum is of 1/3rd of representatives. Even for Emergency EC meeting, minimum notice period is 7 clear days with quorum requirement of 1/3rd of representatives," it added.
The Sports Ministry has instructed the just-elected WFI to suspend all its activities. The Ministry said that the newly elected WFI is being run by the ex-officer bearers. "Newly elected body appears to be in complete control of former office bearers in complete disregard to the Sports Code. The business of the Federation is being run from the premises controlled by former office bearers. Which is also alleged premises wherein sexual harassment of the players have been alleged and present the court is hearing the matter," the Ministry added in the statement.
The Ministry also said that the decisions made by the just-elected body show a 'blatant' disregard for 'established legal and procedural norms'. "The decisions made by the newly elected executive body of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) demonstrate a blatant disregard for the established legal and procedural norms, violating both the WFI's constitutional provisions and the National Sports Development Code," it further noted.
Sanjay Singh, Brij Bhushan's aide, was elected the new President of WFI on December 21. The Protesting wrestlers lashed out at the move with Sakshi Malik announcing her retirement and Bajran Punia returned his Padma Shri award.
