Indian Olympic Association Forms Ad-Hoc Committee To Supervise Suspended Wrestling Federation Of India's Operations

The Indian Olympic Association has formed an ad-hoc supervisory committee to oversee the suspended Wrestling Federation of India's operations. WFI was sidelined just days after new elections by the Sports Ministry for hastily announcing new nationals

Outlook Sports Desk

Updated on: 27 December 2023 4:31 pm

Sanjay Singh (right) with Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (left)

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), on the instructions of the Sports Ministry, has formed an ad-hoc committee to oversee the suspended Wrestling Federation of India's tasks, including "athlete selection, submitting entries for athletes to participate in international events, organising sports activities, handling bank accounts, managing the website, and other related responsibilities." (More Wrestling News)

The three-member committee is being led by Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, President of the Wushu Association of India. MM Somaya, a hockey Olympian, and Manjusha Kanwar, an ex-international badminton player, are the other two members.

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The IOA confirmed the same through a release:

"The IOA has recently become aware that the recently appointed President and officials of WFI have made arbitrary decisions in violation of their own constitutional provisions and against the principles of good governance espoused by IOC and further without following due process overturned the rulings of the IOA- appointed Ad hoc Committee," PT Usha, IOA president, said in the release.

"This not only highlights a governance gap within the federation but also signifies a noticeable departure from established norms.

"Since the IOA considers adherence to governance norms as vital for ensuring fair play, transparency and accountability and to safeguard the interests of sportspersons as espoused by IOC and to ensure continuity, it has been decided to appoint an Ad hoc committee...."

Mired in controversy for months, the Wrestling Federation of India surrendered all hope of a fresh start when newly-appointed President Sanjay Singh, a close friend of the outgoing Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, announced that fresh nationals for the Under-15 and Under-20 categories would take place before the end of the year 2023 in Gonda, breaking the protocols in place for due process. The Indian Sports Ministry immediately stepped in and suspended the organisation until further notice before tasking the IOA with forming an ad-hoc committee.