This is interesting. And frankly, surprising! The Union Sports Ministry has taken a diametrically opposite position to that of global governing body United World Wrestling and the Indian Olympic Association on the matter of the status of the (still for all intents and purposes) Brijbhushan Sharan Singh-controlled Wrestling Federation of India.
The Sports Ministry, in the affidavit filed on Tuesday, has stood firm on its decision to suspend the Brijbhushan loyalist Sanjay Singh-led executive committee of WFI, telling the Delhi high court that it might review the suspension only after there is visible improvement in the federation’s governance, Hindustan Times reports.
The ministry’s affidavit added that it would neither recognise nor provide any support to WFI’s activities and would rather treat any national championships or competitions organized by the current EC as unsanctioned and unrecognised events.
“Suspension of recognition of the WFI vide the letter dated 24.12.2023 continues to subsist along with order dated 07.01.2024, intimating WFI and its State/UT affiliates that any national championships or competitions organized by the current elected executive committee of WFI will be treated as unsanctioned and unrecognized competitions. The Ministry will neither recognise nor provide any support to any activity of WFI,” the affidavit, accessed by HT, reads.
The affidavit further stated: “It is further submitted that the Ministry is continuously monitoring the governance of the WFI and at present does not deem it appropriate at this stage to review its decision dated 24/12/2023. Any review will be undertaken only after marked and visible improvement in its governance, demonstration of compliance of UWW’s order and IOA’s order dated 18.03.2024 and steps taken Expiry Date 15/03/2025 WFI with regard to its democratic functioning, adherence to the Government guidelines aiming towards good governance practices including grievance redressal mechanism and safety of wrestlers.”
While the Sports Ministry has stood by its December 24 decision disallowing WFI’s elected EC from carrying out any activities pertaining to managing and administrating day to day activities, the IOA, in its affidavit filed earlier this month, had stated that it was imperative to disband WFI’s ad hoc committee “because it would have been a direct conflict with the Olympic Charter and United World Wrestling rules”.
For the record, IOA had dissolved WFI’s ad hoc committee on March 18 after the UWW had lifted its suspension of WFI, stating that there was no further need to run it.
The Centre’s response has been filed after the court on on April 10 conceded over formulation of an ad hoc committee for running the suspended WFI but granted the ministry another opportunity to specify its stand on managing the federation’s affairs after the dissolution of the IOA ad hoc committee, HT further reports.
On April 9, a coordinate bench had also sought the Union Sports Ministry’s response in federation’s plea challenging ministry’s December 24 order abstaining WFIs EC from carrying out any activities pertaining to managing and administrating day to day activities.
The ministry’s 52-page affidavit has been filed in the application filed by four (still) protesting wrestlers, seeking directions to the Centre to not revoke its suspension during the pendency of their petition seeking to declare federation’s December 21, 2023 elections as illegal. The application was filed in the petition days after the IOA had dissolved the ad hoc committee on March 18.
On April 2, the High Court had directed the Centre to file an affidavit indicating its “clear stand” saying that its March 28 affidavit was “vague” and did not deal with salient aspects of the matter. “The Centre cannot be allowed to be evasive. They have to take a clear stand. Today, I want to know what is the system of administration and management (of the WFI) that they have set up,” Justice Datta had said on April 2, adding that important decisions have to be taken by the federation in relation to the sport of wrestling, including selection of players, and a clear stand of the Centre is required in the matter.
The Union Sports Ministry, in its affidavit, has also urged the court to direct the IOA to continuously monitor the situation and ensure that the purity of the sports, interests of athletes and interest of the nation are assiduously safeguarded.
The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28.
