Completely retired from wrestling, nothing to do with WFI suspension: Brij Bhushan Singh

New Delhi: Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Sunday said that he has cut ties with the sport and does not have anything to do with the newly elected body getting suspended by the Sports Ministry.

The Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the Sanjay Singh-led new WFI body over ‘hasty’ announcement to hold nationals.

The ministry issued a letter stating, “Sanjay Kumar Singh, newly elected President of Wrestling Federation of India announced on 21.12.2023, the day he was elected as president, that U-15 and U-20 nationals for Wrestling will take place in Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP) before the end of this year.

“This announcement is hasty, without giving sufficient notice to wrestlers who are to take part in the said nationals and without following the provisions of the constitution of WFI.”

To this, the former WFI chief said that he did not want to court any controversy, but had nothing to do with the latest developments in the Indian wrestling world.

“I have worked 12 years for the wrestlers. Time will tell if I have done justice. I am completely retired from wrestling. I have cut ties with wrestling. Now decisions and talks with the government will be done by the elected people of the federation,” Brij Bhushan Singh said at a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday.

On Sakshi Malik questioning the choice of venue for the proposed games, Bhushan said Nandini Nagar, Gonda, was chosen as no other federation agreed to organise the tournaments at such a short notice.

“The old committee had to make a decision in haste. Under 15 and 20… on December 31, the old session will end… a new year will start after that. That is why all the state federations decided to start the process of sports,” he said.

Earlier this year, top Indian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat along with other grapplers had protested against Brij Bhushan Singh alleging that he had harassed several young junior wrestlers.

–IANS