Protesting wrestlers, who include Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik as well as World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, have filed an urgent petition in the Delhi High Court requesting the de-recognition of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and the setting aside of the poll results because the federation was held in violation of the sports code.
This happened a few days after the WFI published a circular inviting the protesting wrestlers to participate in national trials to qualify them for the Olympics.
According to a source, the urgent request also states that the WFI trial would not be fair or free without the court's intervention, and it would impact the wrestlers' careers.
The wrestler's plea
In a circular, the WFI said that its trials will take place on March 10–11, coinciding with the dates of the ad hoc committee created by the Indian Olympic Association. The WFI stated that the trials would occur at New Delhi's IG Stadium. Additionally, trials for the males in Patiala and the women in Sonipat have been scheduled by the ad hoc committee.
Sources claim that the urgent petition also states that the sports ministry has permitted the WFI to use its facilities (IG Stadium) for trials, even though it has suspended the organization's elected body.
In addition, the petition claims that the sports ministry disregarded the WFI's violations of the sports code.
Wrestler’s High Court petition
Sources claim that the urgent petition states that members of the WFI's elected body are those who have served three terms or longer in their state wrestling units and have not had a cooling-off period. The petition further states that neither the WFI nor the state units have a legitimate Athletes' Commission and that several members of the executive committee of the WFI are older than 70.
The urgent petition also draws attention to the fact that, despite being aware that the ad hoc committee had set dates for their event, the suspended WFI held a different national championship.
Sanjay Singh, a close adviser to previous President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and a BJP MP was chosen president of the WFI. Following the filing of a complaint alleging sexual harassment by six female wrestlers against Brij Bhushan, a number of the nation's best wrestlers staged protests demanding his arrest.
Image Source: X(Twitter)/multiple sources
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