Wrestling Federation of India polls put on hold by Punjab and Haryana High Court
The WFI's troubles began with its suspension in January, and the suspension was reiterated in May after allegations of sexual harassment against female wrestlers surfaced against then-president Brij Bhushan.
FollowThe impending elections of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) have been halted by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The scheduled polls, which were initially planned for Saturday, were set to witness a competitive showdown between Sanjay Singh, aligned with Brij Bhushan, and Anita Sheoran, the winner of the 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medal. Just before the elections, Indian wrestlers who spearheaded the protest against the WFI's leader engaged with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
The WFI has found itself ensnared in a series of controversies, causing considerable delays in its planned elections. Originally slated for June 2023, the elections for the governing body of wrestling in India have been pushed back multiple times due to vigorous protests by Indian wrestlers and legal challenges from various state units.
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Initially set for August 12, the elections were intended to fill 15 positions within the WFI's leadership. Among the candidates, Sanjay Singh, a close associate of the outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, contested for the presidency. Notably, Darshan Lal from the Chandigarh wrestling body filed his nomination for the position of general secretary, while SP Deswal from Uttarakhand sought the post of treasurer within the Brij Bhushan camp.
The WFI's troubles began with its suspension in January, and the suspension was reiterated in May after allegations of sexual harassment against female wrestlers surfaced against then-president Brij Bhushan.
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As a result, India's prominent wrestlers protested against the organization's functioning. Presently, the day-to-day operations of the WFI are being overseen by the ad-hoc committee established by the Indian Olympic Association and led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa.
