Sports Min suspends newly-elected WFI for flouting rules

New Delhi: The Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), three days after it elected new office bearers, for not following the provisions of its own constitution while taking decisions and also asked IOA to constitute an ad-hoc panel to manage the affairs of the sports body.

In suspending the WFI, the government cited its "hasty announcement" of organising the U-15 and U-20 nationals "without following due procedure and not giving sufficient notice to wrestlers" for preparations.

Hours after getting elected as WFI President on Thursday, Sanjay Singh had announced that age group national championships will be held from December 28 in Gonda, UP.

The ministry felt the new WFI body was working under the complete control of its former office-bearers, which was not in conformity with the National Sports Code.

Soon after WFI's suspension, BJP chief JP Nadda called Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for a meeting after which the former WFI boss announced that he was taking "retirement from the sport".

"The new body has not followed the WFI constitution. The Federation stands suspended till further orders. WFI will not be taking care of day to day activities of wrestling. They need to follow the due process and the rules," a sports ministry official told PTI.

The source explained further the reasons for WFI's suspension.

"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.

"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."

Wrestlers welcome WFI suspension

Sakshi Malik, one of the prominent faces of the agitation against former Brij Bhushan, welcomed the ministry move.

"It is the first step towards something good happening. I hope the government understands more the cause we were fighting for," Malik, who had announced her retirement from sports after the WFI elections, said.

"If a woman federation president is there, it will be better for the safety of women wrestlers. It was a fight for sisters and daughters of the country," she added.

Bajrang Punia, who had returned his Padma Shri medallion to the government on Friday in protest over election of Brij Bhushan loyalist Sanjay Singh, said he won't take back his award.

"Now that I have returned it, I am not going to take it back. The honour of our sisters and daughters is bigger than any award. All of you have seen what is happening," the Tokyo Games bronze medal winner told PTI.

Suspension decision taken under pressure

The opposition leaders said the government's decision was not enough to give justice to the protesting wrestlers and questioned why a loyalist of Brij Bhushan was allowed to contest the elections.

"By suspending the committee if the BJP-led ministry thinks they are absolving themselves from not helping the women wrestlers, they are mistaken," Sharad Pawar-led NCP's national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said on X.  (PTI)