By Vipul Kashyap
New Delhi [India], January 16 : The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Tuesday decided they will seek a dialogue with the Sports Ministry to resolve the issue of suspension of the body and the legal alternatives will be explored only if discussions fail.
Sanjay Singh, president of the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), had earlier said they would explore legal options over the government decision.
WFI on Tuesday held a meeting to discuss the suspension.
"A meeting was called to discuss the suspension and nationals. We will hold the nationals.... Twenty-five federations have taken this decision, we want to give opportunities to the wrestlers. We are going to initiate talks with United World Wrestling (UWW) because when they derecognised us, they had mentioned a clause of not conducting the elections. Now elections are done so will write to UWW," Singh said.
He said they will also approach the Sports Ministry for talks to resolve the issue of suspension of the body.
"Athletes should look at our mandate. Our mandate doesn't accept the ad-hoc committee," he said.
Days after the conclusion of the WFI elections in December last year, the Sports Ministry suspended the body. Sanjay Singh had announced the hosting of the U-15 and U-20 nationals at Nandini Nagar in the Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh by the end of the year.
The Sports Ministry has instructed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an ad-hoc committee to manage and control the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
"It has come to the notice of the Ministry that you have issued a Circular bearing No. WFI/Senior National/Maharashtra/2024 dated 06.01.2024 on the letterhead of the Wrestling Federation of India regarding conduct of Senior National Wrestling Championship 2023 at Pune (Maharashtra) from 29-31 January 2024," Ministry said in a letter to suspended WFI.
"As per this Ministry's order dated 24.12.2023, you have no authority to issue such a Circular or to use the letterhead of the Wrestling Federation of India wherein you claim affiliation of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports," the letter added.
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