Indian Olympic Association forms three-member ad hoc committee to run affairs of suspended WFI

The Indian Olympic Association constituted a three-member ad hoc committee to run the day-to-day affairs of the WFI after the Sports Ministry suspended the wrestling national body

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on December 27 constituted a three-member ad hoc committee to run the day-to-day affairs of the WFI after the Sports Ministry suspended the wrestling national body for not following the provisions of its own constitution while taking decisions.

Wushu Association of India president Bhupinder Singh Bajwa will be the chairman of the panel with hockey Olympian M. M. Somaya and former international shuttler Manjusha Kanwar being the other two members.

The Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the WFI, three days after it elected new office bearers with Brij Bhushan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh as president, and also asked IOA to constitute an ad-hoc panel to manage the affairs of the sports body.

The IOA said in a release that the newly-elected president and officials of WFI have made arbitrary decisions in violation of their own constitutional provisions and also flouted principles of good governance.

"The IOA has recently become aware that the recently appointed President and officials of WFI have made arbitrary decisions in violation of their own constitutional provisions and against the principles of good governance espoused by IOC and further without following due process overturned the rulings of the IOA- appointed Ad hoc Committee," IOA president PT Usha said in the release.

“This not only highlights a governance gap within the federation but also signifies a noticeable departure from established norms.”

"Since the IOA considers adherence to governance norms as vital for ensuring fair play, transparency and accountability and to safeguard the interests of sportspersons as espoused by IOC and to ensure continuity, it has been decided to appoint an Ad hoc committee...." The ad hoc committee was tasked to oversee and supervise WFI's operations, which include athlete selection, submitting entries for athletes to participate in international events, organizing sports activities, handling bank accounts, managing the website, and other related responsibilities.