Suspended WFI chief Sanjay Singh opposes IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee, mulls legal action over issue

Suspended Wrestling Federation of India president Sanjay Singh has refused to accept the ad-hoc committee that was set up by the Indian Olympic Association on December 27, Wednesday.

The IOA former a 3-member committee to watch over the day to day procedures of the WFI after the body was suspended by the Sports Ministry in a strongly-worded letter earlier this month.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) formed a committee of three members for the Wrestling Federation of India. Bhupendra Singh Bajwa was appointed as the Chairman, MM Somaya as a member, and Manjusha Kanwar as another member of the ad-hoc committee upon the directive of the Ministry of Sports following the suspension of the new body of WFI. The committee will oversee various tasks and activities of the WFI.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, Sanjay Singh said that he was mulling legal action if the ministry does not dissolve the newly formed committee.

“I don’t accept this adhock committee I will speak to minister and if the matter is still not resolved will seek legal opinion,” Sanjay Singh told India Today.

WFI SUSPENDED
Earlier, the Sports Ministry on Sunday, December 24 suspended the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) body, saying it was “in complete control” of ex-office bearers. Sanjay Singh, a close aide of former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was elected as the new president after voting in New Delhi on Thursday, December 21.

The new WFI body was elected after a months-long delay over elections. The World Wrestling body (UWW) had suspended the Wrestling Federation of India over its failure to conduct elections even as top wrestlers in the country staged a protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing the former chief of sexually harassing female wrestlers.

The ministry had added in its statement that the wrestling body failed to follow rules and did not follow due diligence before scheduling the junior national championships.

Former wrestler Sakshi Malik had hit out against the WFI after the new management decided to host the nationals’ competition in Brij Bhushan Singh’s stronghold Gonda.