New Delhi: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday dissolved the ad-hoc committee responsible for managing the daily affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), handing back charge to the governing body elected in December, Scroll reported.
The newly elected body had been suspended days after Sanjay Singh’s appointment as WFI president on December 21 for being “in complete control of former office bearers”.
The ad-hoc committee, during its tenure, conducted national trials for both men’s and women’s categories to finalise the Indian team for the upcoming Asian Wrestling Championships and World Olympic qualifiers.
“The decision to dissolve the Adhoc Committee comes in light of the lifting of the ban on the Wrestling Federation of India by the United World Wrestling 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,” a release from the Indian Olympic Association read.
With the dissolution of the ad-hoc committee, Singh is set to lead wrestling activities in India. Singh’s association with former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment by several women wrestlers and faced massive protests in 2023, received severe backlash with Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik announcing that she was giving up the sport in protest.
The IOA has instructed WFI to appoint a Safeguarding Committee to address concerns related to abuse and harassment. Additionally, the federation has been directed to establish an Athletes Commission to ensure athlete representation in decision-making processes.
“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 said.
The wrestling body has also been asked to repay the loan provided by the IOA to the now-disbanded ad-hoc committee.
Background
Days after being elected, Singh had announced that the Under-15 and Under-20 nationals will take place at Nandini Nagar in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda before the end of 2023, which the sports ministry had called “hasty.”
Gonda is also understood to be Brij Bhushan’s turf.
In a statement, the sports ministry had slammed the federation’s lack of regard for norms. “The business of the Federation is being run from the premises controlled by former office bearers…Which is also alleged premises wherein sexual harassment of the players have been alleged and present the court is hearing the matter,” the sports ministry had said.
In addition to Singh, 12 of the 15 posts in which elections were held were taken up by Brij Bhushan’s loyalists.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Brij Bhushan was accused of serious sexual harassment by at least seven women wrestlers. While the police has failed to act against him and he continues in his position as MP, he was removed as the WFI head after prolonged protests from India’s top wrestlers last year.
