Newly elected WFI body cancels all decisions taken by ad-hoc panel

The newly elected body of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Thursday, 21 December cancelled all the decisions taken by the Bhupender Singh Bajwa-led ad-hoc panel, that had recently changed the Olympic selection criteria and announced hosting of senior National Championship in Jaipur.

Hours after winning the WFI polls, 13 of the 15 elected members met at a city hotel here and discussed the way forward.

The new Secretary General Prem Chand Lochab and Senior Vice-President Devender Singh Kadian did not attend the meeting. Both are from the Anita Sheoran panel that could win only two of the 15 posts.

"The ad-hoc panel had announced that senior nationals will be held in Jaipur in January but this decision has been cancelled. In fact, all the decisions taken by the ad-hoc panel have been cancelled," a WFI source told PTI.

"The Olympic selection trial criteria which was announced by the ad-hoc panel does not stand. We will host the U15 and junior Nationals in Gonda from December 28 to 30," added the source.

The first General Body Meeting (GBM) of the newly elected federation will be held either on 11 or 12 January, 2024, in New Delhi.

The Bajwa-chaired ad-hoc body had announced that the Olympic quotas won by the wrestlers will not belong to individuals but to the country and the quota-winning wrestler will also have to undergo selection trials to book his or her place in the national team for the 2024 Paris Games.

The ad-hoc committee under Bajwa came into existence on 4 May earlier this year, and it was formed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to look after the crisis-ridden WFI.

The Sports Ministry had instructed the IOA to form the ad-hoc committee to oversee the affairs of WFI.