CHENNAI: On an eventful Sunday for wrestling and those associated with it, the sports ministry wrote to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president to form an ad-hoc committee to run the sport in the country. The letter was written hours after the ministry instructed the newly elected executive committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to abstain from administering and managing the day-to-day affairs of the federation with immediate effect until further orders.
Notably, the new body was elected only on Thursday (December 21) ending the tenure of an ad-hoc committee constituted on May 3 this year. The latest twist in the wrestling saga meant former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh reportedly said that he has taken 'retirement' from the sport. It was Brij Bhushan who was in the eye of the storm ever since top wrestlers of the country staged a protest against him in January accusing him of sexual harassment.
"Since wrestling is an Olympic sport and WFI is an affiliate member of the Indian Olympic Association and taking note of the compelling current situation arising out of the influence and control of the WFI's former office bearers, serious concerns have arisen about the governance and integrity of the WFI," said the letter written to the IOA president.
"This requires immediate and stringent corrective measures to uphold the principles of good governance in a sports organization, and thus, now it becomes incumbent on the part of IOA to make suitable arrangements for the interim period for managing the affairs of WFI so that sportspersons of wrestling disciplines do not suffer in any manner and the principle of good governance in the sports body do not get jeopardize. In view of the above, it is requested that an ad-hoc committee may be constituted by the IOA to manage and control the affairs of WFI, as per the defined role of NSFs in the National Sports Development Code of India 2011, including the selection of athletes, making entries for the participation of sportspersons in international events, holding of sporting activities, etc with immediate effect, until further orders," added the letter.
In its letter, the sports ministry raised serious concerns over the functioning of the newly-elected office-bearers soon after winning the election. In the letter, it mentioned decisions taken by the body including the announcement to host U-15 and U-20 national championships in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, cancellation of all decisions made by the previous ad-hoc body and overlooking secretary Prem Chand Lochab while arriving at these decisions. The secretary also raised objections a couple of days before and wrote to the WFI president Sanjay Singh and copied the letter to the IOA.
Another issue that has drawn the flak was the fact that the WFI resumed functioning from Brij Bhushan's residence, which has housed the federation headquarters for years. As soon as Sanjay Singh won the election, the Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik announced that she is quitting wrestling. A day later, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri in protest.
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Clarifying his position after the sports ministry's move, Brij Bhushan reportedly said, "I served wrestling for 12 years, good or bad only time will tell. I have taken retirement from wrestling. I am breaking my relationship with the sport. Now whatever decision has to be taken, whether to liaise with the government or handle the legal processes, those decisions will be taken by the elected members. The Lok Sabha elections are around the corner and I have to move ahead."
On the WFI headquarters, which has been operational from his residence in New Delhi, he said, "I will tell the new office-bearers to take their office to a new place. When they have made that provision, they can move out."
