In a significant move, the Sports Ministry has suspended the newly-elected executive committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), citing “blatant disregard for procedural norms.” The decision comes just three days after the new committee, led by Sanjay Kumar Singh, took charge following a victory in the polls.
The ministry flagged multiple procedural violations, particularly pointing to the hasty announcement by the newly-elected WFI President, Sanjay Kumar Singh. The announcement of the under-15 and under-20 Nationals in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda, on the day of Singh’s election, raised concerns as it contravened the WFI’s constitution.
The ministry emphasized the lack of notice to prospective participants, calling the announcement a violation of the WFI’s constitution. It pointed out that decisions regarding championships should be made by the Executive Committee after due consideration, with proper notice periods and quorum requirements.
The absence of the secretary-general in decision-making processes was also highlighted, along with concerns that the new WFI body operates from premises associated with alleged sexual harassment cases. The ministry asserted that the decisions made by the new executive body demonstrated a blatant disregard for legal and procedural norms.
Furthermore, the ministry revealed that the international body for wrestling, UWW, is yet to officially lift the suspension of WFI, instructing WFI to suspend all its activities until further notice.
This suspension underscores the challenges facing the administration of wrestling in India and raises questions about governance norms within sports bodies.
Stay tuned for updates on the evolving situation.
