Govt asks Indian Olympic Association to form panel for running wrestling body

Hours after suspending the newly-formed Wrestling Federation of India, the Centre has asked the Indian Olympic Association to form a panel for running the wrestling body. The development comes as several questions were raised about the members of WFI and their proximity to former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexual harassment by India's ace wrestlers.

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As per a report by NDTV, the Ministry of Sports has asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an interim committee for overseeing and governing the matters of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), including the process of athlete selection.

"... 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 signed by Tarun Pareek, undersecretary to the Centre.

"This requires immediate and stringent corrective measures to uphold the principles of good governance in sports organizations, and thus, now it becomes incumbent on the part of the IOA to make suitable arrangements for the interim period for managing the affairs of WFI so that sportspersons of wrestling discipline do not suffer in any manner and the principle of good governance is the sports body do not get jeopardized," the letter added.

‘Complete control of former (WFI) office-bearers’

While suspending the WFI on Sunday, the Sports Ministry noted that the newly elected body was working under "complete control of former (WFI) office-bearers" which seems to be an indirect reference to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The Kaiserganj MP denied his role in the recently concluded elections and said he has taken retirement from the sport. Earlier, he also met BJP chief JP Nadda and while the details of their meeting remain private, sources suggest that it was related to the suspension of WFI.

In the recently, concluded WFI elections, Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was elected as the President of the Wrestling Federation of India. Sanjay Singh defeated former Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Anita Sheoran, who was a witness in the sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan.

After the WFI election results, the three top wrestlers held a press conference during which Rio Olympic medalist Sakshee Malikkh announced her retirement from wrestling. Bajrang Punia also decided to return his Padma Shri to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the wrestler left it on a footpath when Delhi Police stopped him from going to PM's residence.