The decision to revoke WFI membership and postpone the Wrestling Federation of India election for 45 days is UWW’s biggest blow to Indian wrestlers

The controversial Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has had its membership with United World Wrestling (UWW) suspended. After failing to hold the WFI’s new office bearer elections within the allotted period, UWW made this decision.

After numerous female wrestlers accused former WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh of sexual harassment, United World Wrestling (UWW) sent a letter to the WFI on May 30. It was requested in this letter that elections for the Wrestling Federation of India be held in the next 45 days (by July 15). The UWW had made it plain that it would terminate WFI membership if this did not take place.

For Indian wrestlers, this United World Wrestling decision is a major setback. The Men’s World Wrestling Championship, which will take place in Serbia from September 16 to 22, will no longer allow Indian wrestlers to compete under the Indian flag as a result of this decision. In this World Wrestling Championship that counts towards Olympic qualification, Indian wrestlers will have to compete as “neutral athletes.”

The High Court ordered a hold until August 28.

Some Indian women wrestlers accused Brij Bhushan Singh, the WFI’s president at the time, of sexual harassment in January 2023 and once more in April 2023. The wrestlers in this group were Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia of Haryana. Following this dispute, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) disbanded the WFI and established an ad hoc committee, which was given the task of organising the election of new WFI office holders.

The ad hoc committee set August 12 as the date for voting, but the Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA), backed by Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana Deepender Hooda, contested it in the Punjab and Haryana High Court a day before the election. HWA claimed that despite its affiliation with the WFI and the Haryana Olympic Association, it was denied vote rights in the elections.

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According to HWA, Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association (HAWA) has been awarded voting rights in its place, which is incorrect. After hearing the HWA’s arguments, the High Court postponed the WFI elections until August 28. The next court hearing in the case is scheduled on August 28.

HC maintain three arguments

HWA asserted in court that we could take part in the election.

The assertion was refuted by the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association.

In the High Court, the Returning Officer’s decision was contested.

The Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association is ineligible to vote, according to the HC. Continue to vote.

Dipendra is charged of stirring up wrestlers.

HWA President Deepender Hooda is accused by Brij Bhushan Singh of encouraging female wrestlers to organise a sit-in protest of him. He claims that Sangeeta Phogat, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik are all being utilised by Dipendra against him.

chosen candidates

The final list of contenders for the new WFI office bearers has been made public. Anita Sheoran, a gold medalist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and Sanjay Singh, a candidate from Uttar Pradesh, are vying for the position of president. While Anita Sheoran is a crucial witness against Brij Bhushan in the case of sexual harassment of female wrestlers, Sanjay Singh is thought to be connected to Brij Bhushan.

The sole woman running in the WFI elections is Anita Sheoran, a resident of Bhiwani. He is thought to back the wrestlers who are opposing Brij Bhushan as well as the Union Sports Ministry.

Brij Bhushan wasn’t prepared for the candidate from Haryana.

In the WFI election, Brij Bhushan Singh was not prepared for any Haryanvi candidate. Devendra Singh Kadian, Anita Sheoran, and Premchand Lochab are all Haryana residents, yet he objected with their names. He demanded that the leadership of the WFI be entrusted to Satpal Singh, the president of the Uttarakhand Wrestling Federation, or to a person from a state other than Haryana.

Brij Bhushan Singh views Satpal Singh as one of his specials. However, authorities from the ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) opposed having a candidate for president who was close to Brij Bhushan. Sanjay Singh’s name was finally proposed.