WFI pulls back circular, Ad-Hoc committee to conduct wrestling trials

Following a petition at the Delhi Court, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has decided to withdraw its circular on conducting the selection trials for the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships 2024 and the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier Wrestling Tournament.

Taking note of the statement made by WFI's counsel, Justice Sachin Datta said the trials shall proceed as per the circular issued by the ad-hoc committee supervising the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India.

The ad-hoc committee of the WFI issued a press release on February 9 saying it will hold the trials for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers (April 19-21) and World Olympic Qualifiers (May 9-12) on March 10 and 11 at Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala and Sports Authority of India (SAI) complex in Sonipat.

The Indian Olympic Association had on December 27 constituted a three-member ad hoc committee to run the day-to-day affairs of the WFI after the Union Sports Ministry suspended the national body for wrestling for not following the provisions of its constitution while taking decisions.

“After some arguments, Senior advocate Dayan Krishnan submits that WFI shall withdraw the circular. The trials shall proceed as per the circular of February 9. Needless to say, the Ad-Hoc Committee will ensure that all the eligible athletes are allowed to participate in the trial,” the court said.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on April 26.

The high court had on March 4 sought responses of the Centre, WFI, and the ad-hoc committee on a petition filed by wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and her husband Satyawart Kadian for declaring as illegal the December 2023 elections held by the sports body and setting it aside.

The wrestlers were at the forefront of last year's protest at Jantar Mantar here demanding the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for the alleged sexual harassment of seven women grapplers.

The plea contended that the WFI elections, held on December 21, 2023, were in blatant violation of the Sports Code and sought a direction to the federation to "ccease from undertaking any activity about the sport of wrestling.

The plea also sought a direction to the Centre and WFI's ad-hoc committee to make the wrestling federation compliant with the National Sports Development Code, 2011, and for conducting the national selection trials for all international events under the court's supervision and monitoring.

Sanjay Kumar Singh, a close associate of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was elected as the new president of the WFI during the election.

"The present writ petition is being filed by the petitioners inter alia assailing, challenging, and seeking directions against the illegal action of the suspended Wrestling Federation of India conducting selection trials for the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships 2024 and Asian Olympic Games Qualifier Wrestling Tournament notified through its circular dated February 26, 2024 against the directives of the ad-hoc Committee for Wrestling Federation of India," the petition said.

The petition claimed the WFI has been a "habitual offender" as it has deliberately flouted directions passed by the Sports Ministry and the ad-hoc committee on multiple occasions, adversely affecting the career prospects of Indian wrestlers.

The interesting part here is that United World Wrestling has lifted the suspension of WFI and recognizes it as the sole administrating body of sport in the country.

The question that comes up here is whether UWW accept the team sent by the ad-hoc committee or they will ask for their recognized body to send the athletes.