BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh addresses the media after the Sports Ministry suspended the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) physique for not following guidelines, in New Delhi, on December 24, 2023.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on December 24 stated he’s “done” with the game and the newly-elected physique will now handle it as he has many extra duties to look into, together with subsequent yr’s Lok Sabha elections.
Brij Bhushan’s feedback got here quickly after the Sports Ministry suspended the WFI until additional orders after the brand new physique made a “hasty announcement” of organising the U-15 and U-20 nationals “without following due procedure and not giving sufficient notice to wrestlers” for preparations.
The Ministry additionally stated the brand new physique was working beneath “complete control of former (WFI) office-bearers”, which was not in conformity with the National Sports Code.
The WFI elections have been held on December 21 with Brij Bhushan’s loyalist, Sanjay Singh, and his panel profitable the polls by huge margins.
“Whatever has to be done with regards to wrestling in India, it has to be done by the new elected body,” Brij Bhushan advised PTI.
“I have nothing to do with the sport now. I have other responsibilities to focus now. I will be away from politics of this sport,” he added.
Brij Bhushan is a sitting BJP MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh.
The prime wrestlers of the nation — Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik — had led the agitation in opposition to Brij Bhushan after accusing him of sexual harassment in opposition to feminine grapplers.
Bajrang had returned his Padma Shri award to the federal government on Friday in protest over Sanjay Singh’s election as WFI chief. On Thursday, Sakshi Malik give up wrestling for a similar motive.
