Suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh. PTI
Sanjay Singh, president of the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), said the organisation will hold talks with the government and then take legal route if needed after an ad-hoc panel was formed to run the national body. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) formed an ad-hoc committee to oversee activities in Indian wrestling after Sports Ministry suspended the WFI.
Read | Why did Sports Ministry suspend the Wrestling Federation of India?
Singh furthered asserted that he had won the elections democratically by bagging 40 of 47 votes and “didn’t accept the committee” formed by the IOA.
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“I don’t believe in this committee. You cannot form an ad-hoc committee without my permission. I will talk to the government about this. Will seek legal advice to save WFI and go to court if talks with govt don’t work. I have won the elections democratically. I won the election with 40 votes out of 47. All the state federations are with me. So you cannot form a committee arbitrarily,” Sanjay Singh told ANI.
On Sunday, the Sports Ministry had suspended WFI and all its office-bearers. It also instructed the IOA to form an ad-hoc committee to manage and control the affairs of WFI.
Timeline | How things have unfolded since WFI elections
On Wednesday, IOA announced the members of the ad-hoc panel. Bhupinder Singh Bajwa is the president of the newly created ad-hoc committee. He will be assisted by MM Somaya and Manjusha Kanwar.
WFI elections took place on 21 December and Sanjay Singh, a close associate of outgoing chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was appointed as the new chief. In the aftermath of this outcome, Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik retired while world champion Vinesh Phogat returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna award and Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia his Padma Shri Award.
The trio have accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually assaulting wrestlers including minors. After weeks of protests to get his ouster, the government had promised that none of his family members or close associates will be allowed to hold position in the WFI.