NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Tuesday lifted the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), restoring its recognition as a National Sports Federation (NSF) for the sport.
Former WFI president and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh shared his thoughts following the revocation of the ban.
Speaking to ANI, he said, “WFI and other sports unions are independent unions. Some issues came up, so the government banned it. On the direction of the Supreme Court, an election (for the presidential post) was held, and Sanjay Singh was elected. Later, the ban was imposed again. The govt has discussed the issue with coaches, players, people related to the sport, and lawyers, and the ban has now been removed as it was harming the sport… I think 99.9% of people are happy with the decision. I hope that the current federation will work honestly and will bring wrestling back on track. The camps were closed for 26 months…”
In late December 2023, elections were held and Sanjay Singh was elected as the new president of WFI. However, the wrestlers protested against his election, arguing that he was a close aide of former president Brij Bhushan.
Just days after the elections, the Ministry again suspended the federation after Sanjay Singh announced the hosting of the U-15 and U-20 nationals in Nandini Nagar, Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh. In response, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) reappointed an ad-hoc committee to oversee the federation’s daily affairs.
The Sports Ministry had initially suspended WFI in December 2023, following Sanjay Singh’s announcement of the youth national championships. The decision drew criticism due to concerns about procedural lapses and athlete representation.
Starting in 2023, the federation had been under intense scrutiny after several top Indian wrestlers — including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia — spearheaded protests against Brij Bhushan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment.
Amid the controversy, United World Wrestling (UWW) imposed a ban on the WFI in August 2023 for failing to conduct timely elections, prompting the formation of an ad-hoc committee by the International Olympic Association (IOA).
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