Page 5 - Wrestling Federation Of India

Brij Bhushan, aide Sanjay Singh react on govt's crackdown on WFI amid row

In light of protests by star grapplers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, the Union Ministry for Sports and Youth Affairs, on Sunday suspended the federation along with all its office-bearers

Explained: Here's why the sports ministry suspended WFI office bearers

The sports ministry suspended the newly elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Here's why that happened

Sports Ministry suspends WFI-led by Sanjay Singh till further notice

The Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) till further orders after the newly-elected body made a "hasty announcement" of organising the U-15 and U-20 nationals "without giving sufficient notice to wrestlers" to prepare. The WFI elections were held on December 21 with former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's loyalist, Sanjay Singh, and his panel winning the polls by big margins. "The new body has not followed the WFI constitution. We have not terminated the Federation but suspended till further orders. They just need to follow the due process and the rules," a sports ministry official told PTI. The source further explained the reasons for suspension. "Sanjay Kumar Singh, newly-elected president of WFI announced on 21.12.2023, the day he was elected as president, that U-15 and U-20 nationals for Wrestling will take place in Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP) before the end of this year. "This announcement is hasty, without giving sufficient notice t

Whoever elected as WFI chief, job of athletes' to practice: BJP MP Bidhuri

Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's aide Sanjay Singh was elected as the new president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI)

Lochab violated WFI constitution, hindering wrestler's growth: Drashan Lal

Prem Chand Lochab's election to secretary general's post is in violation of WFI's constitution and he is now preventing the growth of wrestling in the country by demanding a postponement of the junior Nationals, said Darshan Lal, who had lost to him in the recent polls, on Saturday. Newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India President Sanjay Singh had on Friday announced that the U15 and U20 Nationals will be held from December 28-30 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. However, Lochab said the WFI chief didn't follow the rules while announcing the dates and requested to postpone it. "While the protestors say that we are fighting to save and promote wrestling, on the other hand, as soon as Mr Sanjay Singh, President, of Wrestling Federation of India, issued a circular for organizing the U-20 and U-15 National Wrestling Competition, these protestors again tried to stop wrestling through General Secretary Mr Prem Chand Lochab," said Lal. "In the letter written by Shri Lochab, he requested the .

After Punia, Deaflympics gold winner Virender Singh to return Padma Shri

Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh Yadav, better known as Goonga Pehlwan, has now decided to return his Padma Shri to the government, showing solidarity with the country's top wrestlers who have objected to election of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh as WFI president. Throwing his weight behind Olympic bronze medallist grappler Sakshi Malik, who announced her retirement from the sport soon after Sanjay Singh's victory in the recent WFI polls, Virender said he would return the honour as a mark of protest against the election of Brij Bhushan's close aide. Bajrang Punia, one of the prominent faces of the protest against the former WFI chief, had returned his Padma Shri on Friday. "I will also return the Padma Shri for my sister and the country's daughter. Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, I am proud of your daughter and my sister Sakshi Malikkh," Virender wrote on X. He also urged the country's iconic sports personalities such as Sachin Tendulkar

Bajrang Punia to return Padma Shri in protest over WFI poll outcome

On Thursday, Sanjay Singh was elected as the president of the WFI after the panel led by the close aide of Brij Bhushan won 13 of the 15 posts

WFI poll row: Bajrang Punia leaves Padma Shri on Kartavya Path pavement

This comes a day after Sakshi Malik broke down at a press conference and announced that she was quitting wrestling after Brij Bhushan Singh's close aide Sanjay Singh won WFI poll on Thursday

It's Bajrang's personal decision to return Padma Shri: Sports Ministry

The Sports Ministry on Friday said Bajrang Punia's decision to return his Padma Shri award in protest against Sanjay Singh's election as Wrestling Federation of India president is a personal one but it will still try to convince him to rethink the move. Olympic medallist grappler Bajrang decided to return the honour a day after Sanjay, a Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist, was elected to the top post at WFI. On Thursday, Sanjay was elected as the president of the WFI after the panel led by the close aide of Brij Bhushan won 13 of the 15 posts. Sakshi Malik, Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat addressed a press conference after Sanjay's election in which Sakshi, a bronze medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, announced that she would quit the sport as a mark of protest. But ministry sources said the WFI elections were conducted in a free and transparent manner. "It is Bajrang Punia's personal decision to return Padma Shri. The WFI elections were held in fair and democratic manner," a ministry .

Newly-elected WFI body cancels all decisions taken by ad-hoc panel

The newly-elected body of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Thursday cancelled all the decisions taken by the Bhupender Singh Bajwa-led ad-hoc panel, that had recently changed the Olympic selection criteria and announced hosting of senior National Championship in Jaipur. Hours after winning the WFI polls, 13 of the 15 elected members met at a city hotel here and discussed the way forward. The new Secretary General Prem Chand Lochab and Senior Vice-President Devender Singh Kadian did not attend the meeting. Both are from the Anita Sheoran panel that could win only two of the 15 posts. "The ad-hoc panel had announced that senior nationals will be held in Jaipur in January but this decision has been cancelled. In fact, all the decisions taken by the ad-hoc panel have been cancelled," a WFI source told PTI. "The Olympic selection trial criteria which was announced by the ad-hoc panel does not stand. We will host the U15 and junior Nationals in Gonda from December 28 to 30," ad

WFI elections - India will give befitting reply to tears of wrestlers: Cong

The Congress on Thursday said the country will give a befitting reply to the tears of the wrestlers who sought justice from the BJP government. The opposition party said this after wrestler Sakshi Malik, with tears in her eyes, announced her retirement from wrestling, saying she has lost in the battle for justice for fellow women wrestlers, who she alleged were "harassed" by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. "These champion wrestlers brought pride to 1.4 billion (140 crore) Indians. Today, we hang our head in shame that they have decided to retire because the perpetrator of sexual violence against them continues to run Indian wrestling through proxies. "During their protest, the Home Minister assured justice but today it appears the BJP has continued to shield the accused MP. India will give a befitting reply to the tears of our wrestlers," All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary K C Venugopa

Sakshi Malik quits wrestling as Brijbhushan aide Sanjay elected WFI chief

Olympic medalist and face of the wrestlers' protest against former WFI chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, Sakshi Malik quit wrestling after Sanjay Singh elected the new chief of the wrestling body

Protesting wrestlers won't face vendetta politics: Bhushan after WFI polls

The protesting wrestlers will not face any sort of vendetta politics and they will get the required support from the new federation, outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said on Thursday after the panel backed by him emerged victorious in the keenly-followed elections. Brij Bhushan, who is facing sexual harassment charges from women wrestlers, assured that the new dispensation will work impartially. Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik, though, announced her retirement from the sport, saying she won't compete under the presidency of a man, who is backed by the former WFI boss. Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are still active and hope to qualify for the 2024 Paris Games. The two wresters also expressed disappointment that Brij Bhushan loyalist Sanjay Singh had become the new WFI chief but did not follow Sakshi in quitting the sport. The three top wrestlers had launched an agitation against Brij Bhushan accusing him of sexually exploiting several women wrestlers, early this ..

Who is Sanjay Singh? Newly elected chief of Wrestling Federation of India

Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, won the election of WFI by beating Anita Sheoran with a margin of 42-7 votes

Sanjay Singh, close aide of Brij Bhushan, appointed as WFI president

Singh and his associates said that they had the support of wrestling federations from most states

Sanjay, a representative of old federation, he is sure to win: Brij Bhushan

Confident of his loyalist Sanjay Singh's victory in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections on Thursday, outgoing president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh urged the new office bearers to create a "conducive sports environment and compensate for any losses". UP Wrestling Association vice-president Sanjay Singh, who is a close associate of Brij Bhushan, is up against Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran for the post of president in the much-delayed WFI elections, that are underway. "11 months later, today is the election. In the election, Sanjay Singh, in a way, can be described as a representative of the old federation," Brij Bhushan told PTI. "Sanjay Singh is sure to win the election, ensuring the formation of a new federation for the children. I urge them to create a conducive sports environment as soon as possible and compensate for any losses," he added. Sanjay was part of WFI's last executive council. He was also the national federation's joint secretary since .

Dronacharya nominee Lalit aims for 3 wrestling medals at 2024 Olympics

Lalit Kumar, who has trained Olympic, World Championships and Asian Games medalists like Ravi Dahiya, Deepak Punia and Aman Sehrawat has been nominated for the prestigious Dronacharya Award for 2023

Wrestlers urge Anurag Thakur to stop Sanjay Singh's WFI poll candidacy

Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik on Monday requested Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to ensure that Sanjay Singh does not contest for the post of WFI President since he is a close associate of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassing women wrestlers. The much-awaited Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections are scheduled to be held on December 21 and the results will be declared the same day. Bajrang, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi had spearheaded the protest against Brij Bhushan, accusing the BJP MP of sexual harassment of several women wrestlers, including juniors. A Delhi court is hearing the matter. Tokyo Games bronze medallist Bajrang said they withdrew their protest after the government assured that no one related to Brij Bhushan will contest the polls. Two candidates -- Brij Bhushan-loyalist Sanjay Singh and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran are in the running for the WFI president's post. "Yes, we met with the spo

Much delayed Wrestling Federation elections to be held on December 21

The much-delayed Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections will be held on December 21 and the results will be announced the same day, said returning officer for the polls on Saturday. A statement issued by the office of the returning officer, Justice (retd) MM Kumar said polling, counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on the same day and the result of the elections shall be subject to the outcome of the writ petition pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The elections, to be held during the Special General Body Meeting, will be staged as per the electoral list made on August 7, quelling apprehensions that the entire process might start all over again. "All steps up to the stage of preparation and display of the final list of contesting candidates were completed (on Aug 7) and various activities like polling, counting of votes and declaration of result alone were left," said a statement issued by the returning officer for the polls. "The elections

Returning officer likely to take decision of WFI poll date tomorrow: Bajwa

A fresh date date for Wresting Federation of India's (WFI) long-pending elections is likely to be announced on Wednesday after the Supreme Court set aside the stay imposed by Punjab and Haryana High Court, a member of the IOA-appointed ad hoc committee said. An SC bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal on Tuesday vacated the stay of the high court. The ad-hoc panel appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had moved the apex court against the September 25 order of the HC. "I have spoken the returning officer appointed by the IOA to conduct the elections and he is waiting for the SC order. It is up to him to take a decision on when the election process will start again," ad hoc committee member Bhupender Singh Bajwa told PTI. "I think most probably, he (returning officer) will take the decision (on election date) by Wednesday," Bajwa said. "As far as the ad hoc committee is concerned, we are ready." The IOA had on April 27 appointed an ad-hoc committee to run wrest