The newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Sanjay Singh, whose body was suspended by the sports ministry, wrote a letter to United World Wrestling (UWW) president Nenad Lalovic asking for an immediate lift of the suspension.
Sanjay Singh-led WFI was suspended three days after it came to power and an Indian Olympic Association (IOA) ad-hoc panel was asked to run the sport. Sanjay Singh asked the UWW to deem IOA's influence on wrestling "illegal", news agency PTI reported.
Here are five salient points mentioned in the letter shot by Sanjay Singh to the international governing body for wrestling:
1. "We understand that we continue to be an affiliated member of the UWW. However, there is a provisional suspension imposed by the UWW which was to be vacated after holding of the elections of the WFI as mentioned in your letter dated 23rd August 2023."
2. "We would also like to draw your attention to a judgment of the High Court of Delhi against the IOA which was passed on l6th August 2023, which stated that the IOA cannot exercise any control of authority over a National Sports Federation. Any influence by the IOA would be illegal, NSF's are independent entities."
3. "As can be seen whether it's the Courts in India, the UWW rules or the Olympic Charter, all three mandate the autonomy of the NSF's and the IOA even otherwise cannot be any controlling factor to accept or reject an election of a NSF which would be as per its own constitution.
"Hence, we request you to accept the elections of the WFI as has been done in the past many decades by the UWW and lift the provisional suspension of the WFI. The IOA also does not and cannot approve any election of any other NSF in India as well. It would not be fair to put the WFI as an exception for something that is not even legally correct."
4. "All this (elections) was done transparently and the IOA was well aware of the entire process as the same was being done from the office of the IOA only. All successful candidates were also issued due certificates of election by the Returning Officer," he said.
5. "The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports issued a letter just after 3 days of the election and confirming that the elections were held on 21.12.2023, in which Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh has been elected as President and Shri Prem Chand Lochab as Secretary General and other office-bearers. The copy of this letter is also attached herewith for your perusal."
