IOA forms ad hoc committee to oversee matters of suspended Wrestling Federation of India

The Indian Olympic Association on Wednesday formed an ad-hoc committee on Wednesday to look into the matters of the federation just days after the newly elected Wrestling Federation of India body was suspended by the Sports Ministry.

The committee will be led by Wushu Association of India Bhupinder Singh Bajwa who is the chairman and will also consist of Olympian MM Somaya and former international badminton player Manjusha Kanwar.

“The IOA has recently become aware that the recently appointed President and officials of WFI have made arbitrary decisions in violation of their own constitutional provisions and against the principles of good governance espoused by IOC and further without following due process overturned the rulings of the IOA- appointed Ad hoc Committee. This not only highlights a governance gap within the federation but also signifies a noticeable departure from established norms,” IOA president PT Usha said in a release.

“Since the IOA considers adherence to governance norms as vital for ensuring fair play, transparency and accountability and to safeguard the interests of sportspersons as espoused by IOC and to ensure continuity, it has been decided to appoint an Ad hoc committee….” she concluded.

Last Sunday, after suspending the elected WFI body, the Sports Ministry had requested the IOA to constitute an ad-hoc committee to manage and control affairs of the federation.

It was learnt that the Ministry had written to the IOA President to ensure that the affairs of WFI be controlled “as per the defined role of NSFs in the National Sports Development Code of India-2011, including the selection of athletes, making entries for the participation of sportspersons in international events, holding of sporting activities, etc. with immediate effect, until further orders.

The development had come hours after the ministry had suspended the newly elected body, noting that the ‘newly elected body appears to be in complete control of former office bearers’.

Last Thursday Sanjay Singh, a close aide of former chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, had been appointed as the new WFI chief. Singh’s appointment was opposed by wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, who had been central members of the wrestlers protests this year against the former WFI President Brij Bhushan, alleging him of sexual misconduct and harassment. While Sakshi announced her retirement in protest, Bajrang returned his Padma Shri award.

Following the announcement from the ministry though, Brij Bhushan has told the PTI, “Whatever has to be done with regards to wrestling in India, it has to be done by the new elected body. I have nothing to do with the sport now. I have other responsibilities to focus now. I will be away from the politics of this sport.”

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