and contests its directive to hold trials for selection
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) decided to hold selection trials for the Asian Olympic Games qualifying tournament and the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships in 2024. However, wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Satyawrat Kadiyan have filed a lawsuit against this decision at the Delhi High Court.
The plea claimed that, in defiance of the orders of the Ad-Hoc Committee for Wrestling Federation of India by the Indian Olympic Association and Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is holding selection trials for the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships 2024 and the Asian Olympic Games Qualifying Wrestling Tournament, as announced through its circular dated February 26, 2024.
Together with many other athletes, the petitioners allege that WFI has singled them out and harassed them for being vocal, outspoken, and critical of the organization’s obvious wrongdoings and corrupt practices, including but not limited to accusations of sexual harassment by Federation office bearers.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) decided to hold selection trials for the Asian Olympic Games qualifying tournament and the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships in 2024. However, wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Satyawrat Kadiyan have filed a lawsuit against this decision at the Delhi High Court.
The Indian Olympic Association was also instructed by the same order dated December 24, 2023, to form an Ad-Hoc Committee to oversee and manage the Wrestling Federation of India’s operations, including athlete selection, athlete registration for international competitions, sporting events, and other activities, effective immediately and until further directives.
The plea also claimed that the current WFI executive body had consistently acted illegally, overstepping its authority in violation of the National Sports Development Code-2011, the r/w judgment passed August 16, 2022, and the interests of wrestling athletes, despite clear instructions to that effect from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Olympic Association of India.
In order to ensure that the Olympic Association of India follows a time-bound proposed road map to restructure and reconstitute Respondent WFI, the petitioners ask the ad hoc committee to continue managing the day-to-day affairs of the WFI. Alternatively, they propose to appoint an administrator, preferably a retired judge of the Supreme Court or a retired judge of the High Court, to take over the affairs and management of the WFI.
