Delhi HC issues notice on plea seeking directions to WFI ad hoc committee for fresh trials
The ad hoc committee was appointed on Dec 27, 2023, after the govt restrained the then Sanjay Singh-led WFI admin from managing its day-to-day activities
The Delhi high court on Wednesday issued notice on a plea seeking directions to the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) ad hoc committee to conduct fresh selection trials for upcoming competitions.
The ad hoc committee was appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on December 27, 2023, after the Union sports ministry had restrained the then Sanjay Singh-led WFI administration from managing the federation’s day-to-day activities.
In its December 24 order, the ministry had also asked the IOA to constitute an ad hoc committee to manage and control the affairs of WFI, including the selection of athletes and making entries for participants of sportspersons in international events.
However, on March 18, the IOA immediately disbanded the ad hoc committee, saying that there was “no further need” for its existence because the United World Wrestling (UWW) had lifted the ban on WFI and the selection trials were complete.
On August 16, the high court restored the ad hoc committee’s mandate to manage and control the WFI’s affairs and granted liberty to the IOA to restore the same.
A bench of justice Prateek Jalan sought responses from the Union sports ministry, WFI and the ad hoc committee on an application filed by four wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, and fixed December 12 as the next date of hearing.
The court sought the response days after the IOA told the high court that it had decided to not reformulate the ad hoc committee and interfere with the federation’s autonomy. In an affidavit filed through its president PT Usha, the IOA said the constitution of an ad hoc or one-man committee to govern WFI would not serve any purpose as its decisions would not be accepted by the UWW.
Senior advocate Rahul Mehra and advocate Chaitanya Gosain, appearing for the wrestlers, said the WFI, despite the high court’s August 16 order, has been conducting selection trials for various events, including the 2024 Senior World Championship.
“This act of conducting selection trials in violation of the Hon’ble Court’s explicit directions that the ad-hoc committee should manage such affairs and the respondent no 2/WFI should abstain from managing the affairs of respondent no 2/WFI , is not only illegal but also prejudices the rights of all Indian wrestlers who are entitled to a free, fair and transparent selection process in national interest,” the application stated.
The application underlined that though the high court had on August 16 asked the IOA to reinstate the ad hoc committee, the IOA failed to comply. This non-compliance, it stated, contravened the principles of transparency, accountability, proper governance of the National Sports Federation, as mandated by the Sports Code and has also allowed WFI’s influence to persist unchecked.