New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) The Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), three days after it elected new office bearers, for not following the provisions of its own constitution while taking decisions and also asked IOA to constitute an ad-hoc panel to manage the affairs of the sports body.

In suspending the WFI, the government cited its “hasty announcement” of organising the U-15 and U-20 nationals “without following due procedure and not giving sufficient notice to wrestlers” for preparations.

Hours after getting elected as WFI President on Thursday, Sanjay Singh had announced that age group national championships will be held from December 28 in Gonda, UP.

The ministry felt the new WFI body was working under the complete control of its former office-bearers, which was not in conformity with the National Sports Code.

Soon after WFI’s suspension, BJP chief JP Nadda called Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for a meeting after which the former WFI boss announced that he was taking “retirement from the sport”.

“The new body has not followed the WFI constitution. The Federation stands suspended till further orders. WFI will not be taking care of day to day activities of wrestling. They need to follow the due process and the rules,” a sports ministry official told PTI.

The source explained further the reasons for WFI’s suspension.

“This announcement is hasty, without giving sufficient notice to wrestlers who are to take part in the said nationals and without following the provisions of the constitution of WFI.

“Such decisions are to be taken by Executive Committee, before which agendas are required to be placed for consideration. As per Article XI of the WFI constitution under the Heading ‘Notices and Quorum for Meetings’, minimum notice period for EC meeting is 15 clear days and quorum is of 1/3rd of representatives.

“Even for Emergency EC meeting, minimum notice period is 7 clear days with quorum requirement of 1/3rd of representatives.” The ministry also did not appreciate the fact that WFI Secretary General Prem Chand Lochab, who won from the rival Anita Sheoran-panel, was not consulted before taking decisions.

“It seems Secretary General has not been involved in the said meeting of EC, which was held without any notice or quorum,” the source added.

The source added that the new body had started functioning from the same premises (Brij Bhushan’s official bungalow) where the previous office-bearers operated and where the alleged sexual harassment of the players had taken place.

“Newly-elected body appears to be in complete control of former office-bearers in complete disregard to the Sports Code.

WFI TO EXPLAIN ITS POSITSION ==================== WFI chief Sanjay Singh told

Source: PTI News