Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha has asserted that though the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections will take place soon, while the priority is to hold trials for upcoming competitions.
Since January, a number of Indian wrestlers – including Olympic bronze medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat – have accused WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment and intimidation . The wrestlers have been protesting to seek his removal from the national sports federation.
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The IOA accordingly formed an ad hoc committee to look after the affairs of the WFI, and also put forward a 45-day deadline within which new elections were to be held for the federation.
The ad hoc committee of Bhupender Singh Bajwa, the Wushu Association of India president, and national rifle coach Suma Shirur took charge on May 4, but still await the IOA to announce the name of a retired High Court judge as a returning officer for the elections.
While the elections are to take place with a June 17 deadline, Usha asserted that the elections aren’t the priority.
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“The kids are our priority and we needed to send teams to the Under-15 and Under-20 Asian wrestling championships,” she told The New Indian Express.
“We conducted open trials where more than 2500 wrestlers participated. I personally wanted to see the trials and went to Sonepat. I must say it is being conducted successfully.
“The wrestlers should not suffer and we called for selection trials. WFI elections must take place. Even we are concerned about it. But our priority was to conduct the trials first.”
The governing body for the sport, United World Wrestling, had warned that the India may face suspension should the elections not take place in time.