Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has got a big relief as the suspension on the WFI has been revoked with immediate effect by the Ministry of Sports. There was a dispute going on in WFI for the last few years, and this decision of the Sports Ministry indicates an end to the matter.
What was the root cause of suspension?
The Sports Ministry suspended the WFI executive committee led by Sanjay Singh because of charges for violating the sports code. The global body of wrestling, United World Wrestling (UWW), also lifted the suspension from the Sanjay Singh-led WFI last year. Consequently, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) decided to disband the ad-hoc committee of Bhupendra Singh Bajwa, which was looking after the day-to-day work of wrestling in India. WFI executive committee chairman Sanjay Singh might have been relieved from the UWW and the IOA, but he was still waiting for relief from the central government, which has now been achieved. The action was taken against WFI under allegations of violating rules, and just three days after the elections were over, WFI was suspended.
Sanjay Singh’s committee, close to former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was able to successfully conduct elections on 21 December 2023 and then declared the organization of national championships in the Under-15 and Under-20 categories. But these championships were decided to be held in Nandini Nagar in Gonda, the backyard of Brij Bhushan. This hit the government badly. Hence, action from the Sports Ministry on 24 December 2023 was placed, and WFI was suspended.
Reinstated after 15 months of suspension
Wrestlers were facing many problems due to the suspension of WFI. Due to this conflict that was declared on many occasions between the federation and the Sports Ministry, hence, the wrestlers suffered the most. However, with the lifting of the suspension, the way is now clear for organizing domestic tournaments without hurdles under selection for international ones. In its directive, the Ministry noted that WFI had taken corrective measures, which therefore warranted the lifting of the suspension. Thus, after about a span of 15 months, the Sports Ministry countermanded the suspension slapped on WFI.
