IOA Executive Committee meeting on April 27 to discuss WFI impasse
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday said it will discuss in its executive council meeting on Thursday ways to end the current impasse in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). IOA President PT Usha said that after the Sports Ministry stalled the federation’s elections scheduled for May 7 and asked the country’s apex sports body to constitute an ad-hoc committee and conduct the elections within 45 days of its formation, the Olympic Association has Decided to have a meeting soon. The Ad-hoc Committee will also look after the day-to-day affairs of the WFI till the election of a new Executive Committee as per Government instructions.
Usha tweeted, “IOA understands the seriousness of the matter in view of the letter received from the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of India. Our Executive Committee meeting on 27th April will discuss the current impasse in WFI and work out an actionable solution. The IOA is committed to the betterment of our sportspersons and its sports ecosystem.”
The ministry’s decision comes even as the country’s top wrestlers, including Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Punia and World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat, again reached Jantar Mantar on Sunday to protest and demand from the government that WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh Demanded to make public the report of the monitoring committee probing the allegations against him. Following allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation against Brij Bhushan by top wrestlers, the ministry had set up a six-member monitoring committee headed by Olympic medalist boxer MC Mary Kom to probe the matter and run the functioning of WFI.
