Sanjay Singh doesn't 'recognise' suspension, says WFI to organise own nationals

The Indian Olympic Association formed a three-member panel to manage the affairs of the body.

Published on: Jan 1, 2024, 22:00:02 IST

By HT News Desk

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New Delhi: Sanjay Singh, the president of the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), on Monday said he neither recognises the government-imposed suspension nor the ad-hoc panel managing wrestling in India. The combative sports administrator said the suspended panel will soon organise the national championship on its own.

Singh, a loyalist of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, had won the elections last month. However, days after wrestler Sakshi Malik quit wrestling in protest of his election, the government suspended WFI citing violation of rules in announcing the national games.

Several Indian wrestling stalwarts had been protesting demanding removal of Brij Bhushan from India's wrestling scene because of sexual harassment allegations against him. After the suspension, Singh distanced himself from wrestling.

The Indian Olympic Association later formed a three-member panel to manage the affairs of the body. The panel has announced it will hold the senior national championships in Jaipur from February 2 and 5.

A combative Sanjay Singh, however, has refused to cooperate with the panel.

"We got elected democratically. The Returning Officer had signed the papers, how do they ignore that. We do not recognise this ad-hoc panel," Sanjay told PTI.

"We do not recognise this suspension. The WFI is working smoothly, we are on the job. How will they (ad-hoc panel) organise Nationals if our state associations will not send the teams. We will organise our National Championship soon. We are soon calling the Executive Committee meeting. The notice of the EC meeting will be sent in a day or two and we will have the Nationals organised before they do it," he added.

Singh said the WFI led by him hadn't violated any rules.

The panel said the national wrestling camps for men and women will commence in Sonepat and Patiala respectively from February 9, after the national championships.

"Following the conclusion of the Senior National Championships, the National Coaching Camp (NCC) will be conducted. The men's camp (Greco-Roman and free-style) will be stationed at SAI NRC Sonepat, while the women's camp will be held at SAI NSNIS, Patiala," it said in a statement.

With inputs from PTI, ANI

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HT News Desk
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