Delhi HC urges Sports Ministry to clarify their stand on status of WFI

The Delhi High Court asked the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to take a 'clear stand' on the status of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Tuesday.

This development came after the dissolution of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed ad-committee running the affairs of the suspended body.

On March 18, IOA dissolved the ad-hoc body after the United World Wrestling (UWW) lifted the ban on WFI.

The letter by IOA said there was “no further need for running the activities” of the WFI through the ad hoc committee.

Taking the dissolution of the ad-hoc body in cognizance, the Delhi HC asked the Sports Ministry to file a fresh affidavit as the previous affidavit is vague and does not deal with the salient aspects of the matter.

The HC was hearing an application filed in a pending writ petition moved by wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and her husband Satyawart Kadian

The application filed by wrestlers demanded the appointment of an administrator to take over the management, control, and administration of the WFI.

They also demanded that the suspension of WFI should not be revoked until the final verdict comes in the case.

The court also asked the representative of the Sports Ministry and IOA to join the next hearing on April 10 via video conferencing.

“The concerned joint secretary of the Ministry shall join the proceedings on the next date of hearing through video conferencing. The IOA is also directed to file an affidavit indicating the circumstances in which the order of March 18 came to be issued whereby the ad hoc committee appointed by it has been dissolved. Let the concerned director of the IOA also remain present on the next date of hearing,” the HC said.

After UWW removed the ban on WFI, the selection trials for Asian Championships and Asian qualifiers were conducted by the ad-hoc committee with the presence of WFI officials.