Suspended WFI willing to have a dialogue with Sports Ministry

The suspended executive body of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Tuesday expressed its willingness to have a dialogue with the sports ministry instead of exercising legal action for the suspension imposed on it by the ministry.

The executive body led by suspended WFI president Sanjay Singh wants to avoid any clash with the government and will seek legal help only if the talks fail.

The elected body of the WFI had earlier said that it would challenge the suspension by the sports ministry in the court, but the body changed its mind now.

"We do not want a clash with the government. We are not moving court as of today. We will seek time from the ministry and a delegation will try and speak with the government," Sanjay Singh told PTI.

"First we have to try. We want to know what we need to do to get the suspension lifted. Like UWW had set certain conditions when it had suspended. The ground was not holding elections. The government has suspended us but there is no clarity on how it will be lifted," he added.

WFI is currently being run by an ad-hoc panel, appointed by the Indian Olympic Association at the request of the sports ministry. It has recently announced that it would conduct senior Nationals from February 3 in Jaipur and the age group championships in Gwalior.

Citing violation of the National Sports Codes and the WFI constitution, the government suspended the newly-elected body on December 24, three days after Sanjay Singh was elected as the federation's new president.

The Sanjay Singh-led body maintained that it neither accepts the suspension nor recognises the ad-hoc panel that has been constituted by the IOA to manage the day-to-day affairs of the sport.

While the ad-hoc panel has announced Nationals in Jaipur in February, the WFI body has decided to go ahead with their nationals from January 29 in Maharashtra.