Sports ministry orders fresh polls for wrestling body

New Delhi: Ordering to stop the scheduled elections of May 7 of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), the Sports Ministry directed the Indian Olympics Association to form an ad-hoc committee to conduct the polls within 45 days. The said committee also have to manage WFI, PTI reported.

The ministry move comes after wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat restarted their sit-in-protest in the capital on Sunday. Their demand is the public disclosure of the findings of the oversight panel that probed the sexual harassment allegations against WFI head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Sports ministry wrote IOA president PT Usha, "... it is understood that the election to the EC (of WFI) has been scheduled on 07th May 2023. In this regard, considering the current situation, it is expedient that the said election process should be treated as null and void, and fresh elections to the EC should be conducted under a neutral body/Returning Officer."

"... a transitory committee or Ad-Hoc Committee may be constituted by the IOA to conduct the election of the Executive Council of WFI within 45 days of its formation and to manage the affairs of WFI, including the selection of athletes and making of entries for the participation of sportspersons in international events for the interim period till the next EC takes charge," the letter said.

After allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation rose against Brij Bhushan by the wrestlers, the ministry formed a six-member oversight committee headed by Olympic medallist boxer MC Mary Kom to run the affairs of WFI and probe into the matter.

"Since wrestling is an Olympic sport and WFI is an affiliate of IOA and taking note of the current situation of administrative void in WFI, it becomes incumbent on the part of IOA to make suitable interim arrangements for managing WFI so that sportspersons of wrestling discipline doesn't suffer in any manner," letter to Usha read.

Further, the ministry said that the Oversight Committee formed on January 23 to probe the sexual harassment allegations has submitted its report.

"The OC has submitted its report to the ministry and is currently under examination. Some major findings include the absence of a duly constituted Internal Complaints Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013 and lack of an adequate mechanism for awareness building among sportspersons for grievance redressal," the ministry said

"...need for more transparency and consultation between the Federation and stakeholders, including sportspersons. (And) need for effective communication between the Federation and the sportspersons." The six-member Oversight Committee has wrestlers Babita Phogat and Yogeshwar Dutt, former badminton player Trupti Murgunde, ex-SAI official Radhica Sreeman and former TOPS CEO Rajesh Rajagopalan as other members.

During WFI's Emergency General Council and Executive Committee meeting at Gonda on April 16, Brij Bhushan confirmed that he would not contest for the president's post but hinted that he might look for a new role within the federation.