World body yet to receive WFI election confirmation

MUCH water has flown under the bridge ever since the election to the executive committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was held almost two weeks ago.

- FIROZ MIRZA

Only three days later on December 24, the newly-elected WFI was abstained from functioning by the sports ministry. The ministry also directed the Indian Olympic Association to form an ad-hoc committee to run the sport in the country.

In the meantime, the only woman wrestler from the country to have won an Olympic medal, Sakshi Malik, announced her retirement from the sport while Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat returned their national sports awards protesting Sanjay Singh’s elevation as the WFI president. Yet another protest hit the already troubled Indian wrestling on Wednesday when hundreds of wrestlers gathered at Jantar Mantar. Protesting the loss of one crucial year of their careers, these agitating wrestlers accused the trio of Bajrang, Sakshi and Vinesh for the situation.