03-Mar-2024 10:13 PM
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New Delhi, March 3 (Reporter) An urgent plea was filed by wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat in the Delhi High Court seeking annulment of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election results and de-recognition of it as a result.
The move comes days after the WFI announced the holding of national trials on March 10 and 11. These are the same dates as the trials announced by the Indian Olympic Association-appointed ad-hoc committee.
The WFI announced the trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in New Delhi. The ad-hoc committee is holding the trials in Patiala for men and Sonipat for women.
By seeking annulment of WFI election results and its derecognition thereof, the wrestlers are seeking cancellation of Olympic trials called by the ad-hoc committee.
The plea questions the permission given to the suspended WFI to conduct trials at a venue belonging to the Sports Authority of India and Sports Ministry.
The WFI was suspended three days after its polls on 21 December for 'blatant disregard for established legal and procedural norms.'
After WFI was suspended, the Sports Ministry directed the Indian Olympic Association to set up an ad-hoc committee for WFI’s day-to-day affairs.
The United World Wrestling (UWW), the global body for the sport, had suspended the WFI for delay in holding elections.
However, the suspension was lifted earlier this month after six months, implicating that Sanjay Singh was back as president.
Sanjay Singh is a close aide of BJP MP and former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing alleged sexual harassment against him. The complaint was lodged by the country's top wrestlers had demanded his arrest.
The urgent plea alleges a violation of the sports code by the WFI. As per the code, members in their state units for more than 12 years or three terms, have to undergo a cooling-off period.
It further alleges that some WFI executive committee members are older than 70 years and that there is no proper Athletes’ Commission in the WFI or the state units...////...