In a fresh twist to the wrestling saga, a new body named Wrestling India (WI) has been formed in Sirsa, Haryana.
The body floated on Monday claims to have the support of some state factions of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), especially those who were left out of the federation elections.
The new body has been registered as a Trust and aims to “promote this sport (wrestling) in all of India.” It wants to conduct “national level, state level and district level competitions, have the right to work at every state in India and right to select players for international championships.”
The development comes in the wake of the WFI elections still being on hold due to court cases. The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to intervene in the stay granted by the Punjab and Haryana high court on a petition by a Haryana faction. WFI has been suspended by the United World Wrestling (UWW) due to the delay in conducting elections and Indian wrestlers won’t get to compete under the national flag at the World Championships in Serbia starting on September 16.
There are disputes in several wrestling state bodies and Assam, Tripura, Maharashtra and Haryana approached the court against WFI. It is learnt that fresh disputes have also cropped up in some states.
A WI official said it wants to become a national federation and end the deadlock for the sake of players.
“Currently, wrestlers are suffering because of what is happening in the sport. We want to form a players’ body. We had meetings with wrestlers and well-wishers of the sport from Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Rajasthan and they feel there needs to be a federation that can serve the sportspersons,” said Surender Singh, who has been named president of the new body.
Singh, who says he is a businessman and sports enthusiast, though has not met the top wrestlers who held the protests. “I have pharma and hotel business outside India. I was abroad for four years but am now back in my home in Punjab,” Singh said.
There are disputes in several wrestling state bodies and Assam, Tripura, Maharashtra and Haryana approached the court against WFI. It is learnt that fresh disputes have also cropped up in some states.
A WI official said it wants to become a national federation and end the deadlock for the sake of players.
“Currently, wrestlers are suffering because of what is happening in the sport. We want to form a players’ body. We had meetings with wrestlers and well-wishers of the sport from Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Rajasthan and they feel there needs to be a federation that can serve the sportspersons,” said Surender Singh, who has been named president of the new body.
Singh, who says he is a businessman and sports enthusiast, though has not met the top wrestlers who held the protests. “I have pharma and hotel business outside India. I was abroad for four years but am now back in my home in Punjab,” Singh said.
Former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is facing charges of sexual harassment in a Delhi court following a complaint by six women wrestlers. Singh, who ruled WFI for 12 years, still controls WFI units though he is not eligible to contest elections after completing three four-year terms. Members of his camp are frontrunners in the WFI elections, which has been opposed by the protesting wrestlers. Former India medallist Anita Sheoran, backed by the protesting wrestlers, is contesting for the WFI president’s post.
Another WI official said they have been in touch with many WFI state units. “There are disputes in so many states, then there are court cases. We have the support of a few states; we are in talks with many states and districts, and some are in the process of registering with us. We will write to Indian Olympic Association and the government asking them to support us and send their representatives when we conduct elections,” the official said.