Much water has flowed under the bridge since the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) held its election almost two weeks ago, as the United World Wrestling (UWW) is yet to receive confirmation on the election from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the sports ministry. The newly-elected WFI was prevented from functioning by the sports ministry just three days after the election, and the ministry directed the IOA to form an ad-hoc committee to oversee wrestling in the country. In the midst of this turmoil, Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from the sport, while Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat returned their national sports awards in protest against Sanjay Singh’s appointment as the WFI president. The situation worsened when hundreds of wrestlers gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest the loss of a year in their careers and blamed Bajrang, Sakshi, and Vinesh for the predicament.
Meanwhile, the UWW, which had previously suspended the WFI for failing to hold elections last year, has remained silent. However, the UWW recently stated that it is waiting for feedback from representatives to determine if the election was conducted properly and efficiently. The world governing body also confirmed that it has not received any official confirmation of the election from the IOA and the sports ministry. The UWW emphasized that it requires official information from the national federation as well as confirmation from the NOC and Ministry of Sports before it can lift the suspension.
It should be noted that the election was conducted by the returning officer, MM Kumar, a retired chief justice of the J&K High Court, in the presence of observers from the IOA and UWW. Kumar expressed confidence in the fairness and transparency of the election, stating that he handed out certificates to all the winning candidates. However, he acknowledged that the events that unfolded afterward are a matter of public knowledge. The IOA had reportedly notified the UWW about the ad-hoc committee’s formation, and as a result, the UWW made entries for the Zagreb Ranking Series.
The protest by the wrestlers and the ad-hoc body’s response took center stage recently. The ad-hoc body, led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, assured the wrestlers of organizing national championships for U-15 and U-20 wrestlers within the next six weeks in Gwalior. They also announced plans to hold the senior national championship in Jaipur next month and revealed that a 13-member wrestling team has been selected for the Zagreb Open, the first Ranking Series event of the year. Additionally, they announced the commencement of a national camp to prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In response, the protesting wrestlers, including medallists from international tournaments, threatened to return their awards if the WFI suspension is not lifted within 10 days. Wrestlers from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and Maharashtra have reportedly gathered in the national capital and have vowed to remain there until their demands are met.
While addressing the media, Sakshi Malik dismissed the protest as propaganda instigated by former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. She claimed that she has dedicated 18-20 years to the sport and knows the struggles she has faced. Sakshi accused Brij Bhushan of orchestrating the protest through his supporters.
In light of the ongoing protests and warnings from the wrestlers, the ad-hoc panel has scheduled a meeting to discuss the issue. The three members of the panel, Bajwa, MM Somaya, and Manjusha Kanwar, are expected to convene and devise strategies to prevent the situation from escalating further.
As the wrestling saga unfolds, it remains to be seen how the UWW, IOA, sports ministry, and the protesting wrestlers will resolve their differences and navigate the challenges that currently surround Indian wrestling.
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