The Union Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the newly-elected body of the Wrestling Federation of India after president Sanjay Singh announced that U-15 and U-20 nationals will take place in Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP) before the end of this year.
The ministry said the WFI body had shown complete disregard for the existing rules and regulations. The announcement for national competitions was hasty and due process was not followed, it said.
After Sanjay Singh was elected as WFI chief, it was reported that the junior national competitions would begin before the end of this year in Gonda.
The Sports Ministry said this was against the rules and at least a 15-day notice was needed so that the wrestlers could prepare. "Such decisions (holding nationals) are to be taken by Executive Committee, before which agendas are required to be placed for consideration."
"As per Article XI of the WFI constitution under the Heading 'Notices and Quorum for Meetings', minimum notice period for EC meeting is 15 clear days and quorum is of 1/3rd of the representatives. Even for Emergency EC meeting, minimum notice period is 7 clear days with quorum requirement of 1/3rd of representatives," the ministry said.
Earlier this week, Sanjay Singh, a close confidante of outgoing chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, became the new President of the WFI. Singh's victory did not go down well with protesting wrestlers, who said that the new president was the right-hand man of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshee Malikkh quit wrestling, expressing her disappointment over Sanjay Singh getting elected as chief. Singh, who served as the vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Federation, defeated former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran by 40 votes to 7.
Sakshee Malikkh said the promises made to the wrestlers by the Sports Ministry over not allowing family and close aides of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment, were not fulfilled.
The country's top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malikkh, had pushed for a woman president, but Brij Bhushan loyalist Sanjay Singh emerged as the winner. Since Brij Bhushan was asked to step aside and an ad-hoc panel was formed to manage the day-to-day affairs of the federation, national camps, and National championships could not be held in 2023.
On Saturday, Malikkh, in a tweet, said junior women wrestlers were calling her and telling her that the junior nationals were going to be held in Nandani Nagar Gonda. "Gonda is the area of Brijbhushan. Now imagine in what environment the junior women wrestlers will go there to wrestle. Is there no place in this country to get nationalised anywhere other than Nandani Nagar? I don't understand what to do."
Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia, who has also been protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, said the Wrestling Federation, which manages the sport, has shown within 24 hours why they have dominated the federation.