Sports ministry suspends new WFI president till further notice

The Union sports ministry on Sunday, 24 December suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) until further orders after the newly elected body made a "hasty announcement" of organising the U-15 and U-20 nationals "without giving sufficient notice to wrestlers" to prepare.

The WFI elections were held on 21 December with former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's loyalist Sanjay Singh, and his panel winning the polls by big margins.

"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 due process and the rules," a sports ministry official told PTI.

The source further explained the reasons for the suspension. "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.

"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 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," said the ministry's source.