'A solid leadership is required in WFI'

The wrestling fraternity has largely heaved a sigh of relief that the national camps and competitions will finally begin with the formation of a new federation, and it does not matter that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will continue to call the shots.

The country's top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, had pushed for a woman president, but Brij Bhushan loyalist Sanjay Singh emerged as the winner in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) polls on Thursday by beating former wrestler Anita Sheoran.

Since Brij Bhushan was asked to step aside and an ad-hoc panel was formed to manage the day-to-day affairs of the federation, national camps and National championships could not be held in 2023.

It affected many wrestlers since medals won and participation certificates in National championships are necessary to apply for jobs. Hundreds of wrestlers suffered due to this as many had one last year to win a medal in the junior category.

"How does it matter who has won? The elections were held after the Supreme Court intervention. Koi jabardasti nahi huee (No one was forced to do anything). The government was also looking at it," said Jagdish Dhanda, a coach at the famous Chhotu Ram stadium in Rohtak.

"The sport had literally stopped in the last 11 months. It's good that the activities have started immediately after the formation of the new body. Now national camps will be held and competitions will be organised, you won't realise the loss in the last 11 months," Dhanda said.

Asked how the wrestlers in his stadium have reacted to the fact that Brij Bhushan, who is accused of sexual harassment of women wrestlers, has kept control of the body through the new chief, Dhanda said, "The wrestlers are neutral."

"Actually, no one is discussing it. It was clear that Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were just working for themselves. They wanted to save themselves from trial. Initially, no one understood, but later, when they skipped the Asian Games trials and did not honour their words to the Panchayat, people stopped believing them," Dhanda reasoned.

Both Bajrang and Vinesh were exempted from the Asian Games trials by the ad-hoc panel and were dragged to court by the wrestlers in their respective categories.

Bajrang had returned empty-handed from the Hangzhou Asian Games and Vinesh eventually suffered an injury and could not compete in the continental showpiece.

Dhanda and his team of coaches have produced many international medal winners from the Rohtak wrestling centre. Dhanda is working there since 2014.

Similar sentiments were shared by the coaches at Delhi's Chhatrasal Stadium.

"A solid leadership is required in WFI. You have seen how the ad-hoc panel struggled to take decisions. They kept changing their decisions, so it is only good that the same panel has returned to power. You need experience, and they have done a tremendous job in the last 10–12 years," said the coach, who did not wish to be named.

"Thankfully, now nationals will be held. All that the wrestlers need is competition. We are not from any party. We just want the betterment of our sport."

The coach said the protesting wrestlers should have tried to resolve the issues, if any, by dialogue.

"Matbhed ho hi sakte hain (There can be difference of opinion), which can be sorted by sitting and talking. Hitting the roads is not a good option. The sport got a bad name for that."

"The parents were so worried that their wards had lost an entire year. It's a brutal sport; one year is too long a period."

Usually, by the end of May, all the age-group Nationals finish. At least 120 medals are offered in these championships. Only U23 championships were held this year.

A female wrestler from Haryana said there will be some hesitation in approaching the federation officials.

"We do not know what's the truth. Whether sexual harassment took place or not, we do not know. But trust me, there will be some hesitation, at least initially, if the wrestlers need to ask something from the federation. We do not know if we will be seen as those who protested against the federation officials," the wrestler said, expressing her apprehensions.

The new dispensation has already announced that the U-15 and U-20 Nationals will be held in Gonda in the last week of December.

The AGM will be held in Delhi on January 11 or 12. The new body, hours after getting elected on Thursday, had cancelled all the decisions taken by the ad-hoc panel.