Wrestling Federation of India tells Delhi High Court it will withdraw circular for Olympics selection trials

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) told the Delhi High Court on Thursday that it will withdraw its circular calling for wrestlers to participate in selection trials for the Asian Olympic Qualifiers and the World Olympic Qualifiers [Bajrang Punia & Ors v Union of India & Ors]..Senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan appeared for the WFI and said that the federation is withdrawing its circular without prejudice to its rights and contentions.Justice Sachin Datta recorded the submission and said that trials for the competitions shall proceed as per the circular issued by the ad-hoc committee appointed by the Central government to manage the affairs of the WFI.“Needless to say the ad-hoc committee will ensure that all the eligible athletes are allowed to participate in the trials,” the Court said..The submission was made in a plea filed by wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Satywart Kadian challenging the WFI circular.Senior Advocate Rahul Mehraappeared for the wrestlers and said that the WFI circular was in violation of the rules, as it had no power to conduct the trials.The Court said it will hear the matter on April 26..Notably, these wrestlers were at the forefront of the protest against former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. After Singh stepped down, Sanjay Singh, who is considered to be close to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, replaced himPunia and others have said that the WFI has been suspended by the Union Ministry of Sports and, therefore, has no power to invite wrestlers for the trials.The plea argues that an ad-hoc committee was constituted by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to manage the affairs of the WFI and that even though the WFI is aware of its illegal status, it issued the notice for the selection trials.“It is submitted that unless Respondent No.2 (WFI) is specifically restrained from conducting such events or issuing any such circulars it will continue to mislead, manipulate, influence, threaten and create undue and unnecessary adversities for the wrestling sportspersons,” the plea argued..The plea contends that the ad hoc committee has also issued the dates for the trial and they coincide with the dates issued by the WFI. “Two parallel national championships shall result in utmost confusion and disparity amongst contesting athletes leading to multiple qualification entrants for the International Governing bodies. It is further pertinent to place on record that there are well-founded reasonable apprehensions arising out of ill-conceived attempts of Respondent No.2 (WFI) in collusion with other entities to deliberately tamper the Petitioners’ eligibility and bona fide as a participating athlete including but not limited to anti-doping regulatory tests," the plea added.