After a great deal of delay, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections will be held on December 21, the body announced on Saturday. the results will be announced on the same day. The Supreme Court paved way for the election of a new WFI governing body after setting aside a stay issued by the Punjab and Haryana high court.
The issue gained attention after several wrestlers levelled serious allegations of sexual harrasment against then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and others had also staged a sit-in protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Although the election process commenced in July, it was stalled by several court cases. In the same period, the world governing body – United World Wrestling – suspended WFI for not holding elections within the stipulated time.
Timeline of the delayed WFI elections
The WFI elections were initially scheduled to be held on July 4. However, there were several delays after some disaffiliated state bodies approached for a hearing, claiming their dismissal was not appropriate.
The Gauhati High Court then stayed the elections after the Assam Wrestling Association sought the right to participate in the poll process.
Following this, the elections were scheduled on August 12. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court heard a petition and extended the stay on Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections till September 25.
The stay order came in the wake of a petition filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA). It challenged the move to allow the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association to cast votes in the WFI polls.
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