Sanjay Singh, who was recently elected as the new Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president, on Sunday said he was yet to receive any letter after the sports ministry suspended the WFI till further orders.
“I was on a flight. I have not received any letter yet. First, let me see the letter, only then I will comment. I heard that some activity has been stopped,” Sanjay Singh told reporters.
The sports ministry suspended the WFI after the newly elected body made a “hasty announcement” of organising the U-15 and U-20 nationals “without giving sufficient notice to wrestlers” to prepare.
The surprise move came days after Olympian Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from wrestling at an emotional press briefing, claiming that the Centre went back on its word to not install an aide of Bharatiya Janata Party MP and ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as an office-bearer of the wrestling federation.
Later, voicing his misgivings over the election of Sanjay Singh as the new WFI chief, fellow Olympian Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri in protest. The star wrestlers earlier led a protest by wrestlers, who came out against Brij Bhushan, accusing him of sexual harassment.
The WFI elections were held on December 21 with Sanjay Singh, a loyalist of former president Brij Bhushan, and his panel winning the polls by big margins.
“The new body has not followed the WFI constitution. We have not terminated the Federation but suspended till further orders. They just need to follow the due process and the rules,” a sports ministry official told news agency PTI. The source further explained the reasons for the suspension.
“Sanjay Kumar Singh, newly elected president of WFI 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,” PTI quoted the sources as saying.
“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,” the ministry’s source added.
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
