Wrestling Federation of India to challenge suspension next week

The Wrestling Federation of India will challenge its suspension by the Sports Ministry in court next week. It has also called for an Executive Committee meeting on January 16 to discuss the way forward.

Citing violation of the National Sports Code and the WFI constitution, the government suspended the newly-elected body on December 24, three days after the Federation conducted its election.

The WFI has maintained that it neither accepts the suspension nor recognizes the ad-hoc panel that has been constituted by the IOA to manage the day-to-day affairs of the sport.

As reported by PTI, WFI President Sanjay Singh said, "We need a properly functioning Federation. We are taking the matter to the court next week. This suspension is not acceptable to us because we were elected democratically. We have also called the Executive Committee meeting on January 16."

More than 300 wrestlers gathered at Jantar Mantar to demand the restoration of the newly-elected WFI body and organization of junior and sub-junior nationals.

After the protest, the ad-hoc panel led by Bhupinder Singh Bajwa announced that the U-15 and U-20 National Championships will be announced within six weeks while the senior national championships are slated in February at Railway Stadium, Jaipur.

It remains to be seen whether the wrestlers, who are the main stakeholders in the sport, will choose to compete in the events organized by WFI or the ones conducted by the ad-hoc committee.

In the first International wrestling tournament of the year, the Indian team will be unrepresented in the five Olympic weight categories at the Zagreb Open.