‘We don't want a clash with the government’: Suspended WFI president Sanjay Singh seeks suspension revocation through sports ministry dialogue

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) decided to initiate discussions with the Sports Ministry to request the lifting of its suspension on January 16. The federation expressed a preference for dialogue, aiming to avoid confrontation with the government. Legal options will only be pursued if the talks prove unsuccessful.

The WFI had earlier announced its intention to seek judicial intervention to overturn the suspension. However, this stance was revised during the Executive Council (EC) meeting, chaired by President Sanjay Singh and attended by 12 other elected members.

Notably, Secretary General Prem Chand Lochab and Senior Vice President Devender Kadian were absent from the meeting.

"We do not want a clash with the government. We are not moving court as of today. We will seek time from the ministry and a delegation will try and speak with the government," Singh told PTI after the meeting.

Asked if he won't get time from the ministry he said, "First we have to try. We want to know what we need to do to get the suspension lifted. Like UWW had set certain conditions when it had suspended. The ground was not holding elections. The government has suspended us but there is no clarity how it will be lifted."

Singh also said that state associations have affirmed their commitment to send teams for the Nationals organised by the WFI in Pune, not the one planned by the ad-hoc panel in Jaipur.

"The WFI Constitution mandates the Federation to host the Nationals and not any ad-hoc panel. A total of 25 state associations have already written to the ministry and the UWW that it will send teams for Nationals to be conducted by WFI."

It has been noticed that numerous wrestlers, chosen by state associations through trials, have already purchased tickets for Pune, where the WFI will host the Nationals from January 29-31.

The ad-hoc panel has declared its intention to organise the senior Nationals starting from February 3 in Jaipur, along with the age group championships scheduled to take place in Gwalior.

(Powered by AI, Inputs by PTI)

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