Top wrestlers had started a protest against Brij Bhushan earlier in the year.
New Delhi:
Ministry of Sports On Sunday, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was suspended until further orders. Top players have welcomed the Sports Ministry’s move to suspend the newly elected management of the WFI. Vijender Singh, the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal, reacted to the government’s decision saying that the government delayed it. Vijender Singh, who is also a Congress leader, wrote in a post
Bro, you left your daughter wrestling, took away your son’s Padma Shri, now you said you should have canceled the federation, you should have done this earlier.
— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) December 24, 2023
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Olympian and wrestler Geeta Phogat said in a post on X that she is confident that the wrestlers will finally get justice. Geeta Phogat writes that the Sports Ministry has suspended the Wrestling Federation of India. Even if it is late, there is definitely a ray of hope that the wrestlers will get justice.
The Sports Ministry has suspended the Wrestling Federation of India
Even though it is late but there is definitely a glimmer of hope that the wrestlers will get justice!!!!—Geeta Phogat (@geeta_phogat) December 24, 2023
In fact, the Sports Ministry today suspended the WFI until further orders as the newly elected body ‘hastily announced’ the organization of the Under-15 and Under-20 national championships without giving the wrestlers enough time to prepare. The WFI elections were held on 21 December. In which former president Brijbhushan Sharansingh’s confidant Sanjay Singh and his panel won with huge votes.
pic.twitter.com/v1ln9K7h7Y
— Vinesh Phogat (@phogat_vinesh) December 24, 2023
“The new organization does not follow the WFI constitution,” a sports ministry official told PTI. We have not dismissed the federation but suspended it till further orders. They just need to follow due process and rules.
Explaining the reasons for the suspension, the source said, “Newly elected WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh announced on the day of his election as president on December 21, 2023 that the Under-15 and Under-20 national championships for wrestling would be held at the end of the year. Even before this. , it will be held in Nandini Nagar, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.
He said, “This announcement has been made in haste. Without providing adequate information to the wrestlers who are to participate in the above national competitions. The provisions of the WFI constitution were also not followed.
Let us tell you that Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi Malik on Thursday protested Sanjay Singh’s election win for the post of WFI President and announced his retirement from wrestling by placing his wrestling shoes on the table. On the other hand, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia decided to return his Padma Shri in protest against his confidant Sanjay Singh becoming the president.
These top wrestlers had earlier in the year launched a protest against Brij Bhushan whom they accused of sexually abusing women wrestlers and the matter is pending in court. (with language input)