NEW DELHI: Still looking for recognition from the sports ministry, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) - headed by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's aide, Sanjay Singh - has announced the conduct of the Senior National Championships in Bengaluru from Dec 6 to 8. The Nationals will see competition in a total 18 weight categories - six each in men and women's freestyle and greco roman.
The hosting of the Nationals assumes significance as the federation had to recently call off a selection trial on Oct 6 and 7 here to pick the Indian wrestling team for the World under-23 and World Championships, scheduled later this month.
However, following a Delhi high court order that WFI had no jurisdiction to hold trials and that it would only be conducted by an IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee, WFI decided not to hold them. With both the ministry and IOA refraining from recognising the Singh-led WFI panel, it would be interesting to see how the federation organises the Nationals, holds camps for wrestlers and arranges funds for these activities.
According to sources, WFI went ahead with the announcement to hold the Nationals after the IOA informed the court that it won't be reconstituting the ad-hoc committee - which it had dissolved in March this year - to run the day-to-day affairs of the federation after the ministry's suspension of the wrestling body in December last.
In August, the court had ordered restoration of the ad-hoc panel by the IOA to manage WFI. About a month ago, the court asked the IOA of steps taken to reconstitute the ad-hoc body.
However, after the wrestling's world governing body (UWW) threatened to impose ban on the WFI owing to govt interference and made it clear that it only recognises Singh-led body, the IOA decided against reconstituting the committee.
This development prompted WFI to announce hosting of the Nationals in Bengaluru and request the ministry to consider granting full recognition to the sports body.
