Indian Olympic Association Dissolves Ad-Hoc Committee for Wrestling as National Federation Regains Control

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New Delhi, Mar 18: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) made a significant move on Monday (March 18) by dissolving the ad-hoc committee for wrestling, signalling the complete restoration of administrative control to the national federation.

This decision comes in the wake of the lifting of the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) by the United World Wrestling (UWW), alongside the successful conduct of selection trials for the upcoming Olympic qualifying tournament.

The ad-hoc committee was established in December last year after the sports ministry suspended the WFI. However, with the revocation of the suspension by the global governing body, the IOA deemed it unnecessary for the ad-hoc committee to continue its operations. The collaboration between the ad-hoc committee and the WFI in conducting selection trials further bolstered the decision to dissolve the committee.

"The decision to dissolve the Adhoc Committee comes in light of the lifting of the ban on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) by the United World Wrestling (UWW) and the successful completion of Selection Trials by the Adhoc Committee appointed by the IOA as per the directives of the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi," said the IOA order issued on March 10.

WFI chief Sanjay Singh expressed gratitude towards the Indian Olympic Association for entrusting his elected panel with full control of the national federation. Singh outlined plans to provide comprehensive support to wrestlers, including organising national camps and facilitating overseas training opportunities.

With the focus squarely on the Olympics, Singh expressed optimism about the prospects of Indian wrestlers securing qualification, aiming for 5-6 athletes to make the cut.

"We thank IOA for giving us full-fledged control of the WFI. We will give all the facilities to the wrestlers. We will soon organise a national camp and if the wrestlers want to train abroad we will facilitate that as well. The focus is now on the Olympics. We are hoping that 5-6 wrestlers will qualify," Singh was quoted by news agency PTI.

The ad-hoc panel, chaired by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, played a pivotal role in organising selection trials for prestigious events like the Asian Championships and the Asian Olympic Qualifiers. Notably, prominent wrestlers such as Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia participated in these trials, with Phogat securing her place in the Olympic qualifiers.

Following the successful completion of the trials, the IOA formally transferred control of wrestling affairs back to the WFI, despite the ongoing suspension imposed by the sports ministry. However, the IOA emphasised the need for the WFI to address concerns of sexual harassment by appointing a Safeguarding Committee and ensuring adherence to UWW regulations.

Moreover, the IOA directed the WFI to conduct elections for the Athletes Commission in a timely manner, promoting athlete representation in decision-making processes. Additionally, the WFI was instructed to repay the loan provided by the IOA to the ad-hoc panel for managing wrestling affairs during the period of suspension.

"...as instructed by the UWW, it is imperative that the WFI appoint a Safeguarding Committee / Officer at the earliest to address the concerns of abuse and harassment and to ensure adherence to all rules, regulations, and guidelines set forth by the UWW and other relevant authorities," the IOA letter added.

"Furthermore, the WFI is also directed to conduct the elections of the Athletes Commission in a time-bound manner, in accordance with the established procedures and guidelines. "This step is essential to promote athlete representation and participation in the decision-making processes of the WFI."

While the dissolution of the ad-hoc panel marks a significant development in Indian wrestling, questions have been raised regarding the timing of the decision, particularly with the sports ministry's suspension of the WFI still pending resolution.

A source close to the developments said he was "surprised" by the IOA's move to dissolve the ad-hoc panel. "The Sports Ministry had suspended the WFI in December last year and it hasn't yet issued orders for revoking the suspension. Besides, the case is sub-judice, so it's surprising why ad-hoc panel was dissolved by the IOA," he said.

Nevertheless, for Sanjay Singh and the WFI, it represents the culmination of a challenging journey, with a renewed focus on steering Indian wrestling towards greater success on the international stage.