NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday restored the mandate of the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) ad-hoc committee to manage the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), following a plea that sought to halt the functioning of the WFI in its present form.
The decision was made in response to a request from prominent wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Satyawart Kadian.
The wrestlers aimed to prevent the WFI from undertaking any activities as the national federation for wrestling.
The order was passed by Justice Sachin Datta, who clarified that it is within the IOA’s authority to reconstitute the committee.
The wrestlers had previously led protests at Jantar Mantar last year, calling for the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the outgoing WFI chief, over allegations of sexual harassment involving seven female wrestlers.
The wrestlers had also approached the High Court earlier this year to nullify and declare as illegal the elections held in December to appoint the federation’s office bearers.
Sanjay Singh, a supporter of Brij Bhushan, was elected as the new WFI president on December 21, 2023. The petitioners requested interim relief to suspend WFI’s activities as the national federation.
The Central Government suspended the WFI on December 24, 2023, just three days after the elections, citing non-compliance with its own constitutional provisions.
Subsequently, the IOA was asked to create an ad-hoc committee to manage the federation’s affairs.
In February, the world wrestling body UWW removed the suspension, prompting the IOA to dissolve its ad-hoc committee in March.
The High Court had on March 4 issued notices to the Central Government, WFI, and the ad-hoc committee, based on the top wrestlers’ petition.
The decision was made in response to a request from prominent wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Satyawart Kadian.
The wrestlers aimed to prevent the WFI from undertaking any activities as the national federation for wrestling.
The order was passed by Justice Sachin Datta, who clarified that it is within the IOA’s authority to reconstitute the committee.
The wrestlers had previously led protests at Jantar Mantar last year, calling for the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the outgoing WFI chief, over allegations of sexual harassment involving seven female wrestlers.
The wrestlers had also approached the High Court earlier this year to nullify and declare as illegal the elections held in December to appoint the federation’s office bearers.
Sanjay Singh, a supporter of Brij Bhushan, was elected as the new WFI president on December 21, 2023. The petitioners requested interim relief to suspend WFI’s activities as the national federation.
The Central Government suspended the WFI on December 24, 2023, just three days after the elections, citing non-compliance with its own constitutional provisions.
Subsequently, the IOA was asked to create an ad-hoc committee to manage the federation’s affairs.
In February, the world wrestling body UWW removed the suspension, prompting the IOA to dissolve its ad-hoc committee in March.
The High Court had on March 4 issued notices to the Central Government, WFI, and the ad-hoc committee, based on the top wrestlers’ petition.
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