Sports Ministry suspends newly-formed Wrestling Federation of India over negligence in junior nationals' schedule announcement  

In a massive development, Union Sports Ministry has suspended the newly-formed Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) with immediate effect. This comes just three days after Sanjay Singh swept the WFI polls held in New Delhi to become the body's president.

He secured as many as 40 votes and was followed in second by Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran, who received only seven. Just hours after the elections, a general meeting of the elected WFI members was called, which was attended by 13 out of 15 members from Sanjay Singh's faction.

The dates for junior national wrestling championships were announced immediately, with events for U-15 and U-20 nationals scheduled from December 28 to 30 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

However, the wrestlers, who were supposed to take part in the aforementioned competitions. weren’t given any prior notice. As a consequence, the Sports Ministry suspended the WFI on Sunday (December 24).

While Speaking to news agency PTI, a sports ministry official said:

“The new body has not followed the WFI constitution. We have not terminated the Federation but suspended it till further orders. They just need to follow the due process and the rules."

"Sanjay Kumar Singh, newly-elected president of WFI 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.

The source further said:

"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."

"As per clause 3 (e) of the preamble of the constitution of WFI, the 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," said the ministry's source.

Sakshi Malik quits wresting after the announcement of new WFI president

Celebrated Indian wrestler and Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik was heart-broken after learning of Sanjay Singh being appointed as the new Wrestling Federation of India president. While addressing the media after the announcement, she announced her decision to quit wrestling.

"We slept for 40 days on the roads and a lot of people from several parts of the country came to support us. If Brij Bhushan Singh's business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling," the star wrestler said at the Press Club of India on Thursday.

Days after announcement of the U-15 and U-20 nationals for wrestling, Sakshi Malik raised concerns on the venue that was selected for the competition.

Taking to Twitter, she disclosed the conversations she had had with some of women junior wrestlers, who are skeptical of visiting Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP)- a district that she referred to as the ‘area of Brij Bhushan’.

“I have given up wrestling but I am worried since last night about those junior women wrestlers who are calling me and telling me that the junior nationals are going to be held from 28th and the new wrestling federation has decided to hold it in Nandani Nagar, Gonda. Gonda is the area of Brijbhushan. Now imagine in what circumstances the junior women wrestlers will go there to wrestle. Is there no other place in this country to host nationals other than Nandani Nagar?,” tweeted Sakshi on her X (formerly Twitter) account.

Reports have also suggested that Sanjay Singh's WFI team is likely to take up the matter legally.