Page 5 - Wrestling

Wrestling: Bajrang Punia, Antim Panghal and 3 others opt out of Zagreb Open

India will go unrepresented in five categories at the upcoming Zagreb Open in Croatia as Bajrang Punia, Antim Panghal and three others didn't give consent for their selection to the ad-hoc panel that announced a 13-member team on Tuesday. Senior Worlds bronze medallist Panghal made herself unavailable as she wants to attend the national sports award ceremony where she will be conferred with the prestigious Arjuna award, while Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang, who had returned empty handed from the Asian Games, also decided to give it a miss. Bajrang, one of the prominent faces of the wrestlers' protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was the only one missing in men's freestyle as the ad-hoc panel picked Aman Sehrawat (57kg), Yash (74kg), Deepak Punia (86kg), Vicky (97kg) and Sumit Malik (125kg) -- all who had participated at the Hangzhou Asian Games. "We had sought the consent of the wrestlers who were part of the Asian Games squad and only 13 gave their consent while five others

Senior national wrestling camps to commence in Patiala, Sonepat from Feb 9

The national wrestling camps for men and women will commence in Sonepat and Patiala respectively from February 9, according to the IOA-constituted ad-hoc committee for the sport here on Monday. With the Asian Olympics Qualifying and World Qualifying tournaments around the corner, the camps will begin almost immediately after the conclusion of the senior National Championships in Jaipur on February 5. The ad-hoc panel, headed by Wushu Association of India chief Bhupender Singh Bajwa with former hockey player MM Somaya and ex-shuttler Manjusha Kanwar being the other members, is taking all the crucial decisions after the newly-elected Sanjay Singh-led Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was suspended by the Sports Ministry within three days of the polls. "Following the conclusion of the Senior National Championships, the National Coaching Camp (NCC) will be conducted. The men's camp (Greco-Roman and free-style) will be stationed at SAI NRC Sonepat, while the women's camp will be held

2023 Wrestlers' Protest: Elite athletes' revolt against system's harassment

From February 2023 to December 2023, three top Indian wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phoigat brought the system down to its with their fight against systematic harassment

Wrestling Nationals in Jaipur from February 2-5, says WFI ad-hoc panel

The senior national championships for wrestling will be held from February 2 to 5 in Jaipur, the ad-hoc committee governing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) said on Saturday. Competitions will be held for top honours in senior free style, Greco Roman and the women's section, the Bhupinder Singh Bajwa-led committee said in a press release. The release also stated that "all correspondence should be done with ad-hoc panel", making it clear that no stakeholder should be in touch with members of the suspended federation. The tournament will be organised by Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) at Railway Stadium in Ganpati Nagar. Earlier, a three-member ad-hoc committee was formed by the Indian Olympic Association to oversee the WFI after the newly-elected body was suspended by the sports ministry for violating its own constitution. Last Sunday, the wrestling body was suspended for not making decisions in accordance with the provisions of its constitution. In order to manage th

Wrestling Federation of India office moved out of Brij Bhushan's residence

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Friday moved its office out of the residence of its former president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, after the sports ministry had recently raised serious objections to it. "The WFI will operate from a new address in New Delhi after vacating Brij Bhushan's premises," a source told PTI on condition of anonymity. The new WFI office is located in the Hari Nagar area of New Delhi. The ministry, while suspending the newly-formed WFI panel under president Sanjay Singh on December 24, three days after he was elected its head, had cited the office running from Brij Bhushan's residence as one of the reasons for taking the stringent action. "The business of the federation is being run from the premises controlled by former office bearers (Brij Bhushan) -- which is also the alleged premises wherein sexual harassment of the players have been alleged and present(ly) the court is hearing the matter," the ministry had said in its letter. The minis

IOA forms ad hoc committee to run wrestling in India after WFI's suspension

The WFI was suspended by the sports ministry after its controversial decision to announce U-15 and U-20 national championships in tainted former chief Brijbhushana Sharan Singh's constituency Gonda

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat to return Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award in protest

Vinesh Phogat took to X where she uploaded an open letter to the PM Modi, saying that she will return national awards won by her, including the Khel Ratna

Belated wisdom: Sena (UBT) mouthpiece jabs Centre over suspension of WFI

In its latest editorial, Saamana invoked the protests by wrestlers, who came out against former WFI president and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment

I have severed ties with wrestling, says Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan

Bhushan held a press conference later in the day saying, "Sanjay Singh is not my relative. I have withdrawn myself from wrestling affairs of the country."

From protest to suspension via elections: Timeline of WFI's drama so far

Following is the timeline of the chain of events up till the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Sunday by the Sports Ministry. It highlights all the important events dating back from January 18 when the wrestlers began their protest at Jantar Mantar to the suspension of the Sanjay Singh-led WFI panel which was elected on December 21. January 18: Wrestlers begin protest at Jantar Mantar, accuse WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan of sexual exploitation and intimidation, demand his resignation and dissolution WFI. January 19: CWG champion wrestler and BJP member Babita Phogat meets wrestlers, says she will speak to the government. January 20: Wrestlers write a complaint letter to IOA president PT Usha, demand the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the allegations and appointment of a new committee to run WFI. IOA forms a seven-member committee, including M C Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt, to probe the allegations of sexual harassment. January 21: Wrestle

Brij Bhushan, aide Sanjay Singh react on govt's crackdown on WFI amid row

In light of protests by star grapplers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, the Union Ministry for Sports and Youth Affairs, on Sunday suspended the federation along with all its office-bearers

Explained: Here's why the sports ministry suspended WFI office bearers

The sports ministry suspended the newly elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Here's why that happened

Lochab violated WFI constitution, hindering wrestler's growth: Drashan Lal

Prem Chand Lochab's election to secretary general's post is in violation of WFI's constitution and he is now preventing the growth of wrestling in the country by demanding a postponement of the junior Nationals, said Darshan Lal, who had lost to him in the recent polls, on Saturday. Newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India President Sanjay Singh had on Friday announced that the U15 and U20 Nationals will be held from December 28-30 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. However, Lochab said the WFI chief didn't follow the rules while announcing the dates and requested to postpone it. "While the protestors say that we are fighting to save and promote wrestling, on the other hand, as soon as Mr Sanjay Singh, President, of Wrestling Federation of India, issued a circular for organizing the U-20 and U-15 National Wrestling Competition, these protestors again tried to stop wrestling through General Secretary Mr Prem Chand Lochab," said Lal. "In the letter written by Shri Lochab, he requested the .

Wrestlers' returning of medals exposed BJP, says ex-CM Ashok Gehlot

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday alleged that the returning of medals by wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia exposed the BJP's insensitivity towards women and their safety. Gehlot wrote on X, "First the retirement of Sakshi Malik, who brought laurels to the country by bringing medals and now Bajrang Punia's return of Padma Shri award, puts a big question mark on the intentions of BJP in the fight for justice for wrestler daughters." He added, "The malice displayed by the BJP in this matter and the disregard for the demands of the victims is condemnable and sad. This episode is exposing BJP's insensitivity towards women's safety." Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia on Friday returned his Padma Shri award in protest against the appointment of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's confidant Sanjay Singh as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India. On Thursday, Sakshi Malik returned her Olympic bronze and announced her retirement at a pres

Bajrang Punia to return Padma Shri in protest over WFI poll outcome

On Thursday, Sanjay Singh was elected as the president of the WFI after the panel led by the close aide of Brij Bhushan won 13 of the 15 posts

It's Bajrang's personal decision to return Padma Shri: Sports Ministry

The Sports Ministry on Friday said Bajrang Punia's decision to return his Padma Shri award in protest against Sanjay Singh's election as Wrestling Federation of India president is a personal one but it will still try to convince him to rethink the move. Olympic medallist grappler Bajrang decided to return the honour a day after Sanjay, a Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist, was elected to the top post at WFI. On Thursday, Sanjay was elected as the president of the WFI after the panel led by the close aide of Brij Bhushan won 13 of the 15 posts. Sakshi Malik, Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat addressed a press conference after Sanjay's election in which Sakshi, a bronze medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, announced that she would quit the sport as a mark of protest. But ministry sources said the WFI elections were conducted in a free and transparent manner. "It is Bajrang Punia's personal decision to return Padma Shri. The WFI elections were held in fair and democratic manner," a ministry .

Dronacharya nominee Lalit aims for 3 wrestling medals at 2024 Olympics

Lalit Kumar, who has trained Olympic, World Championships and Asian Games medalists like Ravi Dahiya, Deepak Punia and Aman Sehrawat has been nominated for the prestigious Dronacharya Award for 2023

Much delayed Wrestling Federation elections to be held on December 21

The much-delayed Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections will be held on December 21 and the results will be announced the same day, said returning officer for the polls on Saturday. A statement issued by the office of the returning officer, Justice (retd) MM Kumar said polling, counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on the same day and the result of the elections shall be subject to the outcome of the writ petition pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The elections, to be held during the Special General Body Meeting, will be staged as per the electoral list made on August 7, quelling apprehensions that the entire process might start all over again. "All steps up to the stage of preparation and display of the final list of contesting candidates were completed (on Aug 7) and various activities like polling, counting of votes and declaration of result alone were left," said a statement issued by the returning officer for the polls. "The elections

SC sets aside stay imposed by Punjab and Haryana HC on WFI elections

The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the stay imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on holding of elections to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal said it failed to understand how the entire process of the election could have been set at naught by high court. "Pending a writ petition filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association, by an interim order the high court has stayed the election of WFI. We fail to understand how the entire process of the election could have been set at naught by HC. The proper course would have been to allow the election to be conducted and make the election subject to the outcome of the pending writ petition. "Accordingly, the impugned order granting interim relief is set aside. It will be open for returning officer to proceed with the election by publishing a revised election program. We make it clear that the outcome of the election will be subject to orders that may be passed in the petition,"

No gold medal bouts at next year's Paris Olympics qualifiers for wrestling

The next year's Continental qualifiers offering spots for the Paris Olympics will not have gold or bronze medals bouts and the winners of the two semifinalists will make the cut for the 2024 Games, according to the new format approved by the world governing body UWW. Apart from four Continental Qualifiers, the World Qualifier will also not offer gold medal and the two semifinal winners will earn quotas while the winners of the bronze-medal bouts will compete for the third quota in each of the six weight categories in three styles. The Pan-American Qualifiers in Acapulco, Mexico from February 28 to March 1 will open the qualification opportunities. "All five Paris Olympic Qualifiers next year will have four seeds in each of the weight classes and no gold-medal bouts," UWW said on its website. African & Oceania Qualifiers will be held in Alexandria, Egypt from March 22-24 and the European Qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan are scheduled to take place from April 4-7. The Asian Qualifiers