CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: Indian wrestling’s issues with governance is set to continue. On Friday, the Delhi High Court restored the mandate of the Indian Olympic Association’s ad-hoc committee on an earlier plea seeking a stay on the functioning of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in the body’s current form.
While passing the interim order on the petition brought to the court by wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Satyavart Kadian, Vinesh’s husband, Justice Sachin Datta held that he was open to the IOA re-constituting the multi-member ad-hoc committee to takeover the day-to-day affairs.
“Since this court has concluded that the dissolution of the ad-hoc committee was unwarranted, it restores the mandate of the ad-hoc committee appointed by the IOA vide order dated 27.12.2023,” the Court said. “However, it shall be open to IOA to reconstitute the ad-hoc committee so as to ensure that the same is a multi-member body comprising of eminent sportsperson/s and/or experts who are well-versed in dealing with the International Federations, so as to allay any concerns that the UWW (United World Wrestling-the world body for the sport) might have as regards the steps taken qua the WFI.
“Dissolution of the ad-hoc committee is thus incongruous and incompatible with continuation of the order dated 24.12.2023 whereby the newly elected Executive Committee of the WFI has been instructed to abstain from administering and managing the day-to-day activities of the Federation with immediate effect,” the court said.
The wrestlers, who were at the forefront of protests demanding the arrest of then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment, had moved the High Court earlier this year for setting aside and declaring as illegal the elections held by WFI in December; Sanjay Singh, considered to be a close aide of Brij Bhushan, was elected to the top post.
Three days after the election, the Centre had suspended WFI for allegedly not following the provisions of its own constitution while taking decisions, and requested IOA to constitute an ad-hoc committee to manage and control the affairs.
The ad-hoc committee was disbanded by the IOA in March after the world body, United World Wrestling, lifted the ban on WFI in February. In the plea filed by the wrestlers, they also wanted the Court to appoint a retired High Court or Supreme Court judge as the administrator of WFI. But the Court didn’t entertain that prayer. “It is deemed apposite to have a multi-member ad-hoc committee (as mentioned aforesaid) to manage and control the affairs of the Respondent No 2 (WFI),” the Court added.
WFI have said they will challenge this interim order. “We are going to take it to double bench,” Sanjay said. “The IOA had dissolved the ad-hoc panel. We will also approach world governing body UWW and the IOC. They had warned that outside interference may impact our athletes. “Two World Championships are approaching. Indian wrestlers’ participation could be blocked.”