Only wrestling National Championship organised by us will be genuine: Ad-hoc panel

The ad-hoc panel also made it clear that only the wrestlers who participate in competitions conducted by it will get the “benefits”.

FILE PHOTO: Bhupendra Singh Bajwa issued a press release saying that only the wrestling nationals organised by RSPB is “genuine”. | Photo Credit: PTI

A day after the suspended WFI asserted that only the national federation has the mandate to organise the National Championships, the IOA-appointed ad-hoc panel said only the tournament organised by it will be considered “genuine”.

The ad-hoc panel also made it clear that only the wrestlers who participate in competitions conducted by it will get the “benefits”.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) had on Tuesday announced that it will go ahead with the Nationals in Pune from January 29 after its first Executive Committee meeting post-elections.

WFI contended that its constitution mandates only the Federation to host the Nationals and the ad-hoc panel has no authority to conduct the National Championships.

READ: WFI to seek suspension revocation from Sports Ministry through dialogue, puts legal challenge on hold

The Sports Ministry, which had suspended WFI citing rules violation, had also said that WFI-organised events will not be recognised.

“It is clarified that only Sr. National Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women National Wrestling Championships 2023, organised by RSPB is genuine, sanctioned and recognised championship by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and all government benefits will only accrue to the sportspersons participating in such National Championships,” panel head Bhupendra Singh Bajwa said in a press release.

WFI President Sanjay Singh had said on Tuesday they will seek a dialogue with the ministry to get the suspension revoked.

The fight for authority between ad-hoc panel and the WFI has only created confusion among the wrestlers.

“The sport has become a joke. Where do we go? This whole mess should be cleared for the benefit of wrestlers and the sport,” said a woman wrestler who did not wish to be named.

Meanwhile, wrestlers from an akhara in Haryana said they will compete in the Nationals, which will be organised by the WFI in Pune.

“We will go to Pune, we are not going to compete in Jaipur where the ad-hoc panel will conduct Nationals,” said the wrestler.

The ad-hoc panel will conduct Nationals in Jaipur from February 2-5 with the help of Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB).

Interestingly, former RSPB Secretary Prem Chand Lochab, who had the backing of protesting wrestlers, had grabbed the post of WFI Secretary General in the recently conducted WFI elections.