Citing Government interference, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Thursday withdrew Indian wrestlers from the upcoming World Championships in Tirana, Albania.
In a letter to United World Wrestling (UWW) president Nenad Lalovic, WFI chief Sanjay Singh said that the Union Sports Ministry continued to interfere in the autonomy of the WFI and its act of de-recognising the WFI on December 24 last had been posing problems in the national federation’s smooth functioning.
Sanjay said wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Satyawart Kadian, the most prominent faces of the wrestlers’ protest, “want an administrator to run the WFI instead of an elected body” and the Delhi High Court, based on the Sports Ministry’s de-recognition, directed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an ad-hoc committee to run the WFI.
“Though the IOA...supported the WFI, it is the Sports Ministry that is (sic) the problem creator because of their December 24 letter which is being used as a tool to interfere in the administration of the WFI by the wrestlers.”
Sanjay highlighted that an October 4 court order restricted the WFI from holding selection trials for the Worlds, in non-Olympic weights, from October 28 to 31.
Nevertheless, the WFI conducted a talent search and was willing to send meritorious athletes emerging from it to compete in Albania if the situation became favourable.
Sanjay said because of the Sports Ministry order, which has been the basis of the order passed by the high court, “we wish to withdraw any entries that were sent in advance for the World championships” and requested the UWW to invoke Article 6.3 of its constitution, which says UWW’s members “shall run their activities independently. They shall preserve their autonomy and oppose any political, religious or economic pressures.”
The WFI requested the UWW to forward its letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a formal complaint “as the autonomy of the National Federations is severely being compromised due to constant interference by the Sports Ministry (sic) so that the Sports Ministry cannot get any privileges and support of the IOA in any future events of the IOC.”
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Sanjay alleged that the wrestlers mentioned above, some of whom have recently filed another contempt petition in the court, “are adamant on getting the WFI suspended no matter what the cost is to all others.”
Interestingly, the WFI was able to field wrestlers in the ongoing World Under-23 Championships in Tirana without any issues.
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