IOA adhoc committee TO HOLD NATIONAL WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN JAIPUR, WFI SUSPENDED PRESIDENT SANJAY SINGH SAYS HE’LL ORGANISE SEPARATE CHAMPIONSHIP
The war between the union sports ministry and Indian Olympic Association on one side and Wrestling Federation of India on the other side has increased with media highlighting the controversy to the hilt. While, after returning their national sports awards and Padma Shree award etc by international wrestlers like Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat there have been lot of controversies and degradation of the image of Sports ministry n WFI , the former (SAI) had wasted no time in suspending the newly elected president of WFI Sanjay Singh and also de recognising WFI for the time being with Sanjay Singh already making up his mind to move the court against the decision of SAI. After suspending Sanjay Singh and de – recognising the WFI for the time being the IOA under the direction of SAI has formed an adhoc Committee under the leadership of Bhupender Singh Bajwa with its two members being Olympian MS Somayya and BADMINTON player Manjusha, Kanwar to look after the affairs of WFI. The newly elected president WFI Sanjay Singh however has outrightly rejected the adhoc committee saying that it is not acceptable to him. The current controversy that has emerged now is, regarding the the announcement by the adhoc committee of IOA for holding national wrestling championships in Jaipur. Kindly recall that soon after being elected earlier WFI president and protege of former chief Brijmohan Sharan Singh has announced these championships to be held at Ghonda strongly opposed by the SAI finally taking stringent action against him by de recognising the WFI and forming of Adhoc IOA committee for his dictatorial style of functioning without taking Sports ministry into confidence etc. The IOA has issued instructions to all wrestling federations of various states not to talk and act on the advise or dictates of the WFI led by de recognised WFI. On the other hand the WFI president Sanjay Singh has openly said that he won’t cooperate with the new adhoc committee of the IOA and would organise its own national championship as the majority of the state wrestling federations are under WFI and his personal influence. He said that how will the championship be organised when there won’t be any participation from state wrestling Federations. Sanjay Singh said that he is calling the national executive meeting of the WFI and would take a unanimous decision to hold the national Championships parallel to the IOA adhoc committee saying that he had already replied to the SAI against his suspension. He said if the Sports ministry or IOA is not interested to affiliate with us, we too are not. It may be recalled that if the WFI hold its own championship not cooperating with the IOA the crisis may blow out of proportion. The former President of WFI Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh , MP who was backing Sanjay Singh, his business partner and protege against whom the women wrestlers Saakshi Malikkh, Vinesh Phogat etc have levelled charges of sexual assault was summoned by the BJP chief Nadda and asked to deviate from Wrestling Federation activities and concentrate on national elections, to avoid further controversies after which Brij Bhushan announced in media, regarding his retirement from wrestling. He was the chief of WFI for 12 long years.
According to former IPS Director General of Kerala police , a JNU Alumni K. S. Jangpangi : Is this the beginning of the end of wrestling in India ? It doesn’t augur well for wrestling in India.
