New Delhi:The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday formed a three-member ad hoc committee to run the operations of the WFI after the sports ministry suspended the national wrestling body for violating the code of conduct set in place.
Wushu Association of India president Bhupinder Singh Bajwa will be the chairman of the panel while hockey Olympian M M Somaya and former international shuttler Manjusha Kanwar will also play a crucial role in the panel with their expertise. After suspending the WFI, Sports Ministry had asked IOA to form a new committee to take over the operations within the next 48 hours.
The IOA had stated in a release that the newly-elected president and officials of WFI have made arbitrary decisions violating the constitutional provisions they were supposed to follow and also hampered the principles of good governance.
"The IOA has recently become aware that the recently appointed President and officials of WFI have made arbitrary decisions in violation of their own constitutional provisions and against the principles of good governance espoused by IOC and further without following due process overturned the rulings of the IOA- appointed Ad hoc Committee," IOA president PT Usha said in the release.
"This not only highlights a governance gap within the federation but also signifies a noticeable departure from established norms. Since the IOA considers adherence to governance norms as vital for ensuring fair play, transparency and accountability and to safeguard the interests of sportspersons as espoused by IOC and to ensure continuity, it has been decided to appoint an Ad hoc committee...."
The ad hoc committee was tasked to manage the WFI's operations and they will include athlete selection, submitting entries for athletes to participate in international events, organizing sports activities, handling bank accounts, managing the website, and other related responsibilities. Previously, Bajwa was also one of the members of the ad hoc committee which was formed by the IOA in April to manage the WFI and to conduct its elections without any hindrance. After repeated delays due to court cases, the elections were finally held on December 21 and Brij Bhushan's loyalist Sanjay Singh emereged triumphant.
Hours after getting elected as WFI President on Thursday, Sanjay had announced that age group national championshipsare going to be organised from December 28 in Gonda in UP. Notably Gonda is the BJP MP Brij Bhushan's constituency. The government, while suspending the WFI, reasoned that its "hasty announcement" of organising the junior nationals "without following due procedure and not giving sufficient notice to wrestlers" for preparations breached the rules and regulations.
The ministry then suspended WFI as they were not wprking in conformity with the National Sports Code. Sanjay's election as WFI chief also led to Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik announcing her retirement from wrestling, while Tokyo Games bronze winner Bajrang Punia also returned his Padma Shri to the government.
Read More
- Sports Ministry asks Indian Olympic Association to form panel to run Wrestling Federation of India
- 'New body in complete control of former office bearers': Sports Ministry suspends Sanjay Singh-led Wrestling Federation of India
- WFI elections timeline: From wrestler's complaint against Brij Bhushan Singh to Sanjay Singh's appointment as President
