Wrestling Conundrum: UWW Renews Suspension Threat

The United World Wrestling (UWW) has renewed its threat to suspend the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) due to political interference in its affairs.

This was communicated in a letter addressed to WFI President Sanjay Kumar Singh. The letter emphasised that the WFI, led by Singh, was the sole representative for UWW on all matters concerning the sport in India, and that the world body did not recognise any interference from public or political authorities in the international affairs of member federations, except regarding the regulation of public grants to the national federation.

Here is a timeline of key events that transpired in this matter:

• The UWW provisionally suspended the WFI in August 2023 for failing to conduct its elections on time. The lack of an elected president and board was deemed a violation of UWW regulations and membership conditions. The UWW Disciplinary Chamber also took into account the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against the former WFI President, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. 

• After the Supreme Court lifted the stay on the WFI election, it was held on December 21, 2023, and Sanjay Kumar Singh was elected President of the WFI Executive Committee.

• Days after the election, the Union Sports Ministry suspended the WFI for violating the National Sports Development Code and its Constitution. The Ministry cited the hasty announcement of the U-15 and U-20 national championships, the Secretary-General’s absence from the Executive Committee’s meeting, and the office’s running from the residence of former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as reasons for this decision.

• IOA set up an ad-hoc committee after receiving a request from the Sports Ministry in this regard. The committee was tasked with overseeing and supervising WFI’s operations, including athlete selection, organising sports activities, submitting entries for participation in international events, etc. As per IOA’s office order dated December 27, 2023, the elected officials made arbitrary decisions in violation of “their constitutional provisions and against the principles of good governance”. They also overturned the decisions taken by the ad-hoc committee previously appointed by the IOA without following due process.

• UWW lifted the WFI suspension in February 2024, after which IOA dissolved the ad-hoc committee in March 2024.

• UWW, in its letter dated April 25, 2024, stated that in the event a decision is made against the Federation and a third party, an ad-hoc committee in this case, is appointed to oversee wrestling activities in the country, a temporary suspension would be re-imposed on the Federation, extending to the athletes this time around.

• In August 2024, the Delhi High Court restored the ad hoc committee’s mandate, ruling that its dissolution was unwarranted.

Despite the suspension imposed by the Sports Ministry in December 2023 and the decision above, the IOA has yet to form the ad hoc committee. Additionally, the matter before the Delhi High Court is still pending, with the next hearing scheduled for February 7, 2025.