After the Union Sports Ministry decided to suspend the country’s premier sports governing body, the newly elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), along with all of its office-bearers on Sunday, BJP MP and former WFI Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh declared that he has “retired” from the sport and has “nothing to do with it.” The announcement by Sanjay Singh, the recently elected president of WFI, that Nandini Nagar in the Gond district of Uttar Pradesh will host the U-15 and U-20 national teams by the end of the year closely followed the Sports Ministry’s decision.
After the Union Sports Ministry suspended the newly elected body of WFI, former chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh gave his first reaction to the verdict and said, “The elections were held in a democratic way on the direction of the Supreme Court and the body was formed. Now it’s their (federation members) decision if they wish to talk to the government or take the legal course of action. I have nothing to do with this.”
“Sanjay Singh is not my relative. The announcement to hold U-15 and U-20 nationals in Nandini Nagar was to ensure sports events should resume. It was held in Nandini Nagar because all federations stated that they wouldn’t be able to make preparations for the tournament in four to five days. I have worked 12 years for the wrestlers. Time will tell if I have done justice. I have broken my ties with wrestling. Now decisions and talks with the government will be done by the elected people of the federation. I have retired from wrestling,” Brij Bhushan added.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Singh skirted comments on the Centre’s decision, telling reporters, “I was on a flight. I don’t know the details and have not received any letter yet. I will make a public statement only after going through the letter. I have heard that some decisions have been reversed.”