After the Wrestling Federation of India was suspended for the second time in 2023, the Indian Olympic Association is yet again set to form an ad hoc committee to oversee matters at the WFI. India Today has learnt that the IOA – in the next 48 will form a new ad hoc committee on WFI. It will look after the day-to-day activities of WFI. The ad hoc committee will take over the administration of WFI.

The Sports Ministry suspended WFI on Sunday in a strongly worded statement on Sunday, December 24. The ministry argued that the newly elected board under the presidency of Sanjay Singh was still under the influence of former office bearers, who were suspended after allegations of sexual harassment.

WFI Suspension: Explained in 10 Points

The WFI saga has been running since early 2023 when several top wrestlers in the country stood up against former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers had revealed harrowing tales of harassment and intimidation after which the Indian Olympic Association and Sports Ministry suspended the then-existing board.

Sakshee Malik Hits Out at WFI

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was sacked as the WFI president and after months of waiting, Sanjay Singh was elected as the new president. This did not sit right with the wrestlers, who alleged that Sanjay was Bri Bhushan’s business partner and his right hand man, and essentially nothing had changed at the WFI.

After former wrestler Sakshee Malikkh shed light on junior national level championships being held in Gonda from 28 December, the sports ministry put out a statement, saying that it was illegal for the WFI to hold the championship without a 15-day notice to the state federations. With the statement, the ministry suspended the existing body.

Top sources in the WFI camp however told India Today that they were not going to sit and watch and instead would move Delhi High Court to challenge the decision.