Ministry cancels all WFI events as embattled chief opens meet

All eyes will be on the emergency executive committee and special general body meeting of the WFI on Sunday. 
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur with wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Babita Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya at a press conference in New Delhi, Jan. 21, 2023. (Photo | PTI)
Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur with wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Babita Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya at a press conference in New Delhi, Jan. 21, 2023. (Photo | PTI)

LUCKNOW/CHENNAI : A day after wrestlers called off their protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, the Senior National Open Ranking Tournament began in Gonda (Uttar Pradesh), the home turf of embattled Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, on Saturday.

In the eye of the storm after serious allegations, including that of sexual harassment were levelled against him by the agitating wrestlers, Singh has been asked to step aside from the day-to-day functioning of the federation late on Friday night. However, the WFI chief not only inaugurated the three-day tournament as a chief guest but also witnessed the day’s action from close quarters at the indoor hall.

Hours later, the ministry has asked the WFI to cancel all events, including the ongoing ranking meet, until the oversight committee it promised to appoint is in place and takes over the day-to-day functioning of WFI. The ministry directed the federation to return the entry fees charged from players. In another decision, the sports ministry issued an order to suspend the assistant secretary of the WFI, Vinod Tomar, with immediate effect.

Union sports minister Anurag Thakur announced late on Friday night that a panel that will be constituted to probe the charges will submit its report within four weeks. Its members were to be announced on Saturday but the cherry-picking has been postponed by a day.

All eyes will be on the emergency executive committee and special general body meeting of the WFI on Sunday.  “WFI president will not attend; secretary-general V N Prasood will chair it,” said an official. Replying to the ministry’s notice, WFI earlier in the day dismissed all allegations and said the protest was motivated and part of a larger plot.

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