IOA Forms Ad Hoc Committee To Oversee Wrestling Federation Of India

NEW DELHI: Following the suspension of the newly elected panel members of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has formed a three-member ad hoc committee on December 27.

This decision comes in response to a request from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) to oversee and manage the operations of the governing body.

The appointed committee will be led by Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, currently serving as the president of the Wushu Association of India. The other two members are MM Somaya, an Olympian in hockey, and former international badminton player Manjusha Kanwar.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) forms ad hoc committee to supervise #WrestlingFederationofIndia's operations, including athlete selection, submitting entries for athletes to participate in international events, organizing sports activities, handling bank accounts. pic.twitter.com/NnaOxslmqJ
— DD India (@DDIndialive) December 27, 2023

The Ministry of Sports suspended the newly elected WFI body, led by Sanjay Singh, just three days after the elections due to their announcement to conduct U15 and U20 nationals.

Consequently, the IOA has been tasked with establishing a temporary panel to supervise the operations of WFI.

The sports ministry emphasized the urgent need for corrective measures to address concerns about the governance and integrity of WFI, given its status as an affiliate member of the Indian Olympic Association.

The IOA has been urged to constitute an Ad-Hoc Committee to manage WFI affairs, ensuring the principles of good governance are upheld in the interim period.

This includes responsibilities such as athlete selection, international event participation, and organizing sporting activities, as outlined in the National Sports Development Code of India-2011.

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