WFI to withdraw circular on conducting trials for upcoming events, HC told
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), which has been placed under suspension by the Centre, told the Delhi High Court on Thursday it will withdraw its circular on conducting selection trials for the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships 2024 and Asian Olympic Games Qualifier Wrestling Tournament.
Taking note of the statement made by WFI’s counsel, Justice Sachin Datta said the trials shall proceed as per the circular issued by the adhoc committee supervising the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India.
The adhoc committee the WFI had issued a of press release on February 9 saying it will hold the trials for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers (April 1921) and World Olympic Qualifiers (May 912) on March 10 and 11 at Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala and Sports Authority of India ) complex in Sonipat.
Ad hoc committee
The Indian Olympic Association had on December 27 constituted a threemember ad hoc committee to run the daytoday affairs of the WFI after the Union Sports Ministry suspended the national body for wrestling for not following the provisions of its own constitution while taking decisions.
“After some arguments, Senior advocate Dayan
Krishnan submits that WFI shall withdraw the circular. The trials shall proceed as per the circular of February 9. Needless to say that the AdHoc Committee will ensure that all the eligible athletes are allowed to participate in the trial,” the court said.
The High Court had on March 4 sought responses of the Centre, WFI and the adhoc committee on a petition filed by wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian for declaring as illegal the December 2023 elections held by the sports body and setting it aside.
The wrestlers were at the forefront of last year’s protest at Jantar Mantar here demanding the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of seven women grapplers.
The plea contended that the WFI elections, held on December 21, 2023, were in blatant violation of the Sports Code and sought a direction to the federation to “cease and desist” from undertaking any activity pertaining to the sport of wrestling.
The plea also sought a direction to the Centre and WFI’s adhoc committee to make the wrestling federation compliant with the National Sports Development Code, 2011, and for conducting the national selection trials for all international events under the court's supervision and monitoring.