Temporary Wrestling Body Days After Federation Suspended Amid Protests

Wrestlers had protested against Brij Bhushan Saran Singh (File)

New Delhi:

The Indian Olympic Association has formed a temporary committee to run the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), days after the Centre suspended its newly elected administration.

The ad hoc committee will be headed by Bhupinder Singh Bajwa and the members are MM Somaya and Manjusha Kanwar.

The IOA said it was appointing the new ad hoc committee to ensure fair play, accountability and transparency.

“The Indian Olympic Association has recently become aware that the recently appointed President and officials of the WFI have made arbitrary decisions in violation of their own constitutional provisions and against the principles of good governance espoused by the IOC and further without following due process overturned the rulings of the IOA appointed ad hoc committee,” read the letter from IOC chief PT Usha.

The panel headed by Sanjay Singh — seen as a confidante of former Wrestling Federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who was accused of sexual harassment — was suspended on Sunday, amid a flurry of protests by wrestlers including Olympic medallist Sakshee Malikkh.