Mobilenews24x7 Bureau
Sad that the WFI has been suspended from the United World Wrestling for not being able to complete the paraphernalia of constituting the administrative body in time.
What was the cause of the delay is obvious and that was the prolonged drama surrounding the mess of the alleged sexual harassment of female grapplers by the former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh followed by a series of shadow boxings between the accused and the probe agencies or the Delhi police.
Just because he is a powerful MP from the ruling party and welding enormous influence to change the tides closing in on him. Thus the suspension will impact India’s wrestlers participating in the upcoming Wrestling World Championships as they will not be allowed to compete under India’s flag and when they do win a gold medal, India’s national anthem will not be played.
Deadline missed
Early this year, in May, the UWW had written to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) warning of an impending suspension if the WFI elections were not held within the next 45 days.
“UWW will request further information about the next elective general assembly from the IOA and the Ad-hoc Committee of the WFI. The 45-day deadline that was initially set to hold this elective assembly shall be respected. Failing to do so may lead UWW to suspend the federation, thereby reminding that UWW already took a measure in this situation by reallocating the Asian Championship planned in New Delhi earlier this year,” the statement issued on 30 May had said.
With no way out the Wrestling Federation of India has been run by an ad-hoc body since January this year when the country’s leading wrestlers started a protest against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, that has since resulted in six female wrestlers filing FIRs of sexual harassment against him.
Post a long delay, the election was set to take place on 12 August but it was postponed once again when the Punjab and Haryana High Court put a stay on the election on the basis of a petition filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA).
Adjourning the case for August 28, Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj observed: “As the counsel for the respective parties contend that they have crucial right to cast vote for the elections to the Executing Committee of the Wrestling Federation of India which is scheduled to be held tomorrow i.e. 12.08.2023, election of the Executive committee of Wrestling Federation of India is ordered to be stayed till the next date of hearing.”
That is where the matter was closed as an impediment to the entire process.
Had the Brij Bhushan issue been dealt with expeditiously and a new administrative body formed then the chance of the National Anthem being played for a possible gold would not have suffered such a huge set-back.
