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- Published: December 24, 2023 11:36
New Delhi: The Sports Ministry of India, has suspended the newly formed WFI (Wrestling Federation of India) body under the leadership of Sanjay Singh, after resistance from multiple wrestlers after Sanjay Singh’s appointment as the WFI chief.
Sanjay Singh was elected as the WFI chief on December 21. Sports Ministry has also nullified all the decisions taken by this newly formed committee, with immediate effects.
Union Sports Ministry suspends the newly elected body of Wrestling Federation of India after the newly elected president Sanjay Singh announced U-15 and U-20 nationals to take place in Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP) before the end of this year. pic.twitter.com/eMZyNK914Z
— ANI (@ANI) December 24, 2023
Sanjay Singh, after the announcement of the results, has hailed Brij Bhusan Singh as his leader, and said he will be following his predecessor’s footsteps.
#WATCH | Newly elected president of the Wrestling Federation of India Sanjay Singh arrives at the residence of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh says “This is not my personal victory, this is the victory of the wrestlers of… pic.twitter.com/JaIJ6XLz1G
— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023
The wrestlers who were protesting against Brij Bhusan Singh for quite some time were upset by the newly elected WFI chief. As a form of protest, the only Olympic medal-winning female wrestler of India, Sakshi Malik, announced her retirement from the sport.
#WATCH | Delhi: Wrestler Sakshi Malik breaks down as she says “…If Brij Bhushan Singh’s business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling…” pic.twitter.com/26jEqgMYSd
— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023
Veteran wrestler, Bajrang Punia, also returned his Padma Shree Award to the Prime Minister as his way of protesting against the latest election results.
मैं अपना पद्मश्री पुरस्कार प्रधानमंत्री जी को वापस लौटा रहा हूँ. कहने के लिए बस मेरा यह पत्र है. यही मेरी स्टेटमेंट है। 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/PYfA9KhUg9
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) December 22, 2023
Notably, a number of seasoned Indian wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, alleged the former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh of sexual harassment against the female wrestlers.