State bodies accuse Bajwa of pressure tactics

Vinayak Padmadeo

New Delhi, January 27

Several state associations have accused the ad hoc committee appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to run the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) affairs of using pressure tactics to stop them from taking part in the Nationals being organised by the WFI.

Both the parties are organising the Nationals. While the WFI is holding the senior Nationals in Pune from January 29, the ad hoc body has called for championships, backed by the Ministry of Sports, in Jaipur from February 2.

Of the 25 state associations, over 18 have sent entries for the Pune meet and that has forced the ad hoc committee, consisting of MM Somaya and Manjusha Kanwar, to try and get the state associations to send names for the Jaipur event. The state heads and executive members have told The Tribune that the ad hoc chairman Bhupinder Singh Bajwa is trying to force them to send team entries for the Nationals that is being held and organised by them.

While a few have been reached through phone, some other associations have been warned by Bajwa in a letter that the wrestlers who take part in the unsanctioned meet would not be able to secure government benefits.

“…The participating wrestlers will not be able to get the government benefits by participation in any other Sr. National Championship, which is unrecognised and unsanctioned,” Bajwa wrote to a state chief, who wished anonymity.

A state association president confirmed that fearing a flop show in Jaipur, the ad hoc body was resorting to underhand tactics.

“I got several calls asking us to not send our entries for the Pune Nationals. They tried to tell us that our wrestlers will suffer but we are with the body that has been put in place after a valid election process and so despite all the pressures my team has been sent to Pune,” the president said.