Sports Ministry asks IOA to form panel to run Wrestling body

The Sports Ministry has asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to establish a temporary panel to oversee the operations of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

Sources said a letter has been sent to the IOA, proposing that the temporary committee be entrusted with overseeing and regulating WFI’s operations, including the responsibility for athlete selection.

The Ministry earlier on Sunday suspended the Sanjay Singh-led new WFI body over ‘hasty’ announcement to hold nationals.

The ministry had issued a letter stating, “Sanjay Kumar Singh, newly elected President of Wrestling Federation of India announced on 21.12.2023, the day he was elected as president, that U-15 and U-20 nationals for Wrestling will take place in Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP) before the end of this year.

“This announcement is hasty, without giving sufficient notice to wrestlers who are to take part in the said nationals and without following the provisions of the constitution of WFI,” the letter read.

The letter further read that as per clause 3 (e) of preamble of constitution of WFI, object of the WFI, among others, is to arrange holding of Senior, Junior and Sub Junior National Championships as per UWW Rules at places selected by the Executive Committee.

It also stated that newly elected body appears to be in complete control of former office bearers in complete disregard to the Sports Code