Tag: International Olympics Association

Gauhati HC Stays WFI Election Scheduled for July 11; Next Hearing on July 17

This is not the first time that WFI election have been delayed. The elections were supposed to be held on June 30, as per the sports ministry’s directions which were then postponed to July 6 before the latest HC order.

New Delhi: The Gauhati high court on Sunday, June 25 stayed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections, scheduled for July 11, while acting on a plea by the Assam Wrestling Association (AWA).

According to news agency PTI, AWA, in its petition filed against the WFI, Indian Olympics Association, and the Sports Ministry, said that though it was entitled to be an affiliated member of the WFI, it was not granted one “despite recommendation made by the then WFI Executive Committee at WFI’s General Council in Gonda, on November 15, 2014.”

The WFI ad-hoc panel has fixed June 25 as the last date for receiving names for the electoral college. The elections to constitute a new governing body would be held on July 11, PTI reported.

AWA said that the election process should be stalled until they are affiliated to the WFI and are eligible to nominate their representatives to the electoral college.

The court directed the respondents – WFI’s ad-hoc body and the Sports Ministry – to not proceed with the executive committee elections until the next hearing is fixed, the Economic Times reported.

The case will be next heard on July 17, the report said.

This is not the first time that the WFI election has been delayed. The election was supposed to be held on June 30, as per the sports ministry’s directions which were then postponed to July 11 before the latest high court order, Times Now reported.

WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh’s removal from the post and the promise of fresh elections have been one of the key demands of wrestlers who have accused the six-time BJP MP of sexually assaulting and coercing sportswomen. On June 25, wrestlers announced the decision to end their protest and continue the fight in court, citing the government’s progress in the process of holding elections.

International Olympics Committee Calls for Concrete Action Against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

“The IOC insists that the allegations by the wrestlers are followed up by an unbiased, criminal investigation in line with local law.”

New Delhi: The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has spoken out against the Delhi Police’s mistreatment of protesting Indian wrestlers, and demanded a speedy investigation into the allegations against BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

“The IOC insists that the allegations by the wrestlers are followed up by an unbiased, criminal investigation in line with local law,” an IOC spokesperson told Sportstar. “We understand that the first step towards such a criminal investigation has been made, but more steps have to follow before concrete actions become visible. We urge that the safety and well-being of these athletes be duly considered throughout this process and that this investigation will be speedily concluded.”

The IOC statement comes soon after the United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body for amateur wrestling, condemned the police action against the protesting wrestlers and expressed disappointment at the lack of proper probe against Singh.

“The IOC supports UWW as the competent sporting authority to address this issue as it pertains to the governance of the sport of wrestling in India. We have been informed by UWW that the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is currently not in charge,” the IOC spokesperson told Sportstar.

“The IOC also urged the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to take all necessary actions to protect the athletes and to make sure that the elections of WFI are happening as planned and in line with the regulations of UWW as an International Federation.”

On Tuesday, the wrestlers had planned to throw their medals – won at the Olympics and other top international events – into the Ganga as a mark of protest against the government’s attitude towards their complaints. But they deferred after the intervention of farmer leader Naresh Tikait.

On Sunday, the wrestlers were manhandled and detained by the Delhi Police, and their protest site at Jantar Mantar was dismantled. The police have said they will not be allowed to return to Jantar Mantar, and have filed FIRs against the wrestlers.

While international condemnation pours in, the Union government has not said anything about the action against the protesting wrestlers. Instead, sexual harassment accused Singh attended the inauguration of the new parliament building presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday.