Indian Wrestling Controversy: WFI To Challenge Suspension In Court Next Week, Calls Executive Committee Meeting On January 16

The central government had suspended the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India on December 24, merely three days after the body conducted its elections. WFI has maintained that it does not accept the suspension

Outlook Sports Desk

Updated on: 4 January 2024 2:59 pm

WFI president Sanjay Singh (right) with ousted chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is unwilling to go down without a fight. The wrestling body, which has been suspended by the Union sports ministry, will challenge its suspension in court next week and has also summoned an executive committee meeting in New Delhi on January 16 to discuss the next steps. (More Sports News)

The central government had suspended the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India on December 24, merely three days after the federation conducted its polls. The sports ministry had cited violation of the National Sports Code and the WFI constitution as reasons for the suspension.

On its part, the WFI has maintained that it does not accept the suspension, nor does it recognise the ad-hoc committee that has been constituted by the Indian Olympic Association to manage the everyday operation of the sport.

"We need a properly functioning Federation. We are taking the matter to the court next week. This suspension is not acceptable to us because we were elected democratically. We have also called the Executive Committee meeting on January 16," WFI president Sanjay Singh was quoted as saying by PTI.

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Singh, who hails from Varanasi, gave his reasoning on how the ad-hoc panel was not equipped to deliver in crunch time. "You have seen how the team for the Zagreb Open was announced. Five weight categories will go unrepresented. This will happen in the absence of a proper Federation. If certain wrestlers were unavailable in their respective categories, then why were their replacements not sought?," he said.

"Never ever in a tournament, when the federation was in place, we let India go unrepresented in any weight category. And what was the logic in picking the same team that competed in the Asian Games. There are other contenders as well," Singh added.

"I have been getting calls from wrestlers who thought they were worthy of a place in the Indian team. They said they could have made the team if they were given a fair chance to prove themselves through trials. That is why you need a proper federation in place," the WFI president further said.

(With PTI inputs)