Delhi HC restores mandate of IOA ad hoc panel on plea seeking stay on WFI's functioning

The Delhi High Court on Friday restored the mandate of IOA's ad hoc committee for Wrestling Federation of India on a plea seeking a stay on the functioning of the WFI in its present form and prevent it from undertaking any activity as a national federation for the sport. While passing the interim order on the plea by celebrated wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian, Justice Sachin Datta said it was open to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) re-constituting the committee.

The wrestlers, who were at the forefront of last year's protest at Jantar Mantar demanding the arrest of outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of seven women grapplers, had moved the high court earlier this year for setting aside and declaring as illegal the elections held to elect the office bearers of the federation held in December.

Sanjay Singh, a Brij Bhushan loyalist, was elected the new WFI chief in the polls held on December 21, 2023.

In their plea for interim relief, the petitioners had sought a stay on the functioning of the WFI in its present form and prevent it from undertaking any activity as a national federation for the sport of wrestling.

The Centre had suspended the WFI on December 24, 2023, three days after it elected the new office bearers, for allegedly not following the provisions of its own constitution while taking decisions, and requested IOA to constitute an ad-hoc committee to manage and control its affairs.

In February, world wrestling body UWW lifted the suspension, leading to IOA also dissolving its ad-hoc committee for wrestling in March.

On March 4, the court had issued notice to the central government, WFI and the ad-hoc committee of WFI on the petition by the top grapplers.