Suspended WFI chief Sanjay Singh objects to IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee; sources

NEW DELHI — Sanjay Singh, the suspended president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), has refused to acknowledge the ad-hoc committee established by the Indian Olympic Association to oversee the day-to-day operations of the WFI.

Sources close to Sanjay Singh told IANS that he has refused to accept the ad-hoc committee and is planning to discuss the issue with the sports minister.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday constituted a three-member ad hoc committee tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the WFI.

The committee will be chaired by Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, who holds the position of president in the Wushu Association of India. The other two members include MM Somaya, an Olympian in hockey, and former international badminton player Manjusha Kanwar.

The Sports Ministry on December 24 suspended the Singh-led new WFI body three days after the elections over the announcement to hold U15 and U20 nationals and has asked IOA to establish a temporary panel to oversee the operations of the WFI.

The Union sports ministry, while suspending the panel, had termed this decision “hasty” and said that it was taken “without following the provisions of the constitution of WFI”.

Singh, who is a close to WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has later claimed that he will take legal advice against the suspension of his panel by the sports ministry.

He said he will first talk to the central government before seeking legal advice.

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