Sports Ministry Suspends Newly-Elected WFI Over Moving Junior Nationals To Gonda

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The newly-elected body of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was suspended by the Union Sports Ministry till further notice on Sunday (December 24). The Ministry, led by Anurag Thakur, accused WFI of a 'hasty announcement' on organising the U-15 and U-20 Nationals in Gonda.

The Sports ministry said the decisions were taken "without following due procedure and not giving sufficient notice to wrestlers" for preparations. The ministry also added that the new body was working under the "complete control of former office-bearers (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh), which was not in conformity with the National Sports Code.

It has been widely reported that Brij Bhushan's loyalist Sanjay Singh was appointed as the president of WFI upon elections on December 21. Brij Bhushan stepped down as WFI president earlier this year after elite wrestlers accused him of sexual harassment on female wrestlers.

"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.

Top wrestler Bajrang Punia, who along with Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, had led the agitation against Brij Bhushan had returned his Padma Shri award to the government on Friday in protest over Sanjay Singh's appointment. This was a day after Sakshi Malik quit wrestling for the same reason. The source further explained the reasons for WFI suspension.

"Sanjay Kumar Singh, newly-elected president of WFI announced on December 21, 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," said the source.

"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," said the source.

The source added that the decision to hold the national championships should have been done in a procedural manner by informing the executive committee, which was not done.

"Such decisions (holding of the nationals) 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. Further, in terms of the Article X (d) of Constitution of WFI, it is Secretary General of WFI, who has been made responsible for carrying out the general business of the Federation, keeping the minutes of the meetings, maintaining all the records of the Federation, calling the meetings of the General Council and the Executive Committee.

"It seems Secretary General has not been involved in the said meeting of EC, which was held without any notice or quorum," the source added.

Newly-elected WFI secretary-general, Prem Chand Lochab, had written to Sanjay Singh a day after the elections that a "few states have objected to rescheduling and relocating of age group and junior Nationals".

"In this regard, no regular meeting of the Executive Committee of WFI as per its Constitution has been conducted after the elections for newly elected Executive Council held on 21-12-2023."

"In view of the above, it is felt that the grievances of state federations are genuine and may be considered and the U20 and U15 National Wrestling Championships 2023 scheduled at Nandini Nagar, Gonda from December 28-30 may be postponed," Lochab, the former Railway Sports Control Board secretary had written in his letter.

-PTI