Sports Ministry revokes WFI suspension after 15 months

New Delhi: The Sports Ministry has lifted the suspension imposed on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), ending months of uncertainty and allowing the governing body to resume operations, including organising selection trials for the upcoming Asian Championship scheduled for March 25 in Amman, Jordan.

The ministry had suspended the WFI on December 24, 2023, citing governance lapses and procedural irregularities following the election of a new body led by Sanjay Singh on December 21. During the suspension period, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was directed to form an ad-hoc panel to manage wrestling affairs in the country.

“I thank the government for taking this step. It will allow us to function smoothly. It was needed for the sake of the sport. The athletes were suffering from a lack of competitions,” Sanjay Singh said following the announcement.

The ministry’s decision came after a verification committee conducted a spot inspection and confirmed that the WFI had complied with directives to relocate its office from former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s residence to East Vinod Nagar in New Delhi.

The federation’s initial announcement to hold Under-15 and Under-20 National Championships in Nandini Nagar, Gonda—considered Brij Bhushan’s stronghold—had triggered the government’s displeasure, as the former BJP MP faces sexual harassment charges.

In its order issued Monday, the ministry noted that continuing the suspension would adversely affect wrestlers’ medal prospects at the 2026 Asian Games and 2028 Olympic Games. However, the WFI must adhere to specific conditions, including maintaining power balance among elected officials and ensuring complete disassociation from suspended or terminated officials.

“The EC of the WFI must give an undertaking in this regard within 4 weeks. Any violation of the undertaking will invite appropriate legal action, including the action under the Sports Code,” the ministry stated. Additionally, the WFI must conduct selections for international events in a free, fair, and transparent manner according to Sports Code provisions and United World Wrestling (UWW) regulations.

Singh assured compliance with these conditions, stating, “We have already shifted to a new office and soon we will call for an EC meeting and also issue a circular for the selection trials. We have no issues in following these instructions.”

The suspension’s timing had significant consequences for wrestlers, who missed opportunities to compete in Ranking Series tournaments in Zagreb and Albania. The situation was further complicated by court cases filed by prominent wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Satyawart Kadian, who had led protests against Brij Bhushan alleging sexual abuse of junior wrestlers.

“We are so relieved that this suspension has been lifted. There was a complete lull, the young wrestlers were suffering for no fault of theirs. They were missing tournaments, there was no national camp. The suspension should have been lifted long back,” said a coach from a leading training center in Haryana.

The UWW had previously lifted its own suspension of the WFI on January 13, 2024, but had threatened to reinstate it if there was interference in the federation’s governance. The IOA had declined to restore an ad-hoc panel as directed by the court, arguing that the UWW recognises only the official WFI and would not accept entries from an interim committee. The controversy stems from a lengthy protest at Jantar Mantar by wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik, who accused Brij Bhushan of sexually abusing junior wrestlers. Their action led to an FIR and ongoing trial, though the former BJP MP has denied all charges. Vinesh has since joined the Congress party and won the Julana seat in the Haryana state elections last year, while Bajrang was appointed chief of All India Kisan Congress.

With the suspension now lifted, the WFI is expected to immediately begin preparations for the Asian Championship in Amman, providing India’s wrestlers a chance to resume international competition after months of administrative uncertainty.