Brij Bhushan like a brother, says new WFI chief Sanjay Singh

His election as the new president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Thursday might have led to protests by some of India’s top wrestlers including a press conference in which Sakshi Malik, the only Indian woman to have won an Olympic medal, might have tearfully announced her retirement from the sport, but Sanjay Singh isn’t budging at the moment.

“I don’t want to say anything about that press conference. Neither have I spoken to them (the protesting wrestlers) or have they reached out to us. We want to think of the benefit of wrestlers. All our concentration is on that and not on who is saying what,” Sanjay Singh told Sportstar on Thursday.

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Following the election Sanjay Singh replaces Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former head of the national federation which the Sports Ministry had dissolved following allegations of sexual harassment made by the wrestlers. The MP from Kaiserganj was found liable for prosecution for sexual harassment, molestation and stalking of women wrestlers in the chargesheet of Delhi Police.

However the wrestlers had alleged that Sanjay Singh, who beat former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran — the candidate favoured by them, by 40 votes to 7, was closely associated with the erstwhile president. “(Sanjay Singh) is Brij Bhushan’s right-hand man. Apne khud ke bete se bhi zyada khaas hai (he is more close to him than his own son),” two time World medallist Vinesh Phogat had said.

Sanjay Singh admitted as much. “ Hamara samband ek bada bhai aur chota bhai ke saman hai (Our relationship [between him and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh] is like a big brother and younger brother.) He used to conduct mitti kushti (traditional mud wrestling competitions) in Ayodhya and I used to conduct them in Kashi (Varanasi). As you know Ayodhya and Kashi have a very old relationship as well,” Singh, the president of the Uttar Pradesh wrestling federation told Sportstar.

Even though a new governing body might have been elected, Sanjay Singh said the federation would function as usual from its current office — run from the government-provided residence of Brij Bhushan Singh in New Delhi’s Ashoka Road. “The office will run from the same facility only. The office is not the issue. The issue is we have to focus on conducting more nationals and competitions,” Singh said.

The first decision taken by the newly appointed federation was to conduct the U-15 and U-20 (Junior) nationals from the 28th of December in Gonda in Uttar Pradesh. The venue of the nationals incidentally is on the grounds of a private college owned by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in his political constituency.

Nationals in short notice

This comes with its own challenge. “In seven days we have to conduct a state championship, select a team and book our travel to Gonda. It is possible for states around Uttar Pradesh but will be very difficult for far away states like Maharashtra and Karnataka,” says a coach who did not wish to be named.

Sanjay Singh admitted the competition was being held on very short notice but said there was no option. “The decision to conduct the nationals for the juniors was the first decision we have taken. This tournament should have been held at the start of the year. Because the federation was suspended (in March) we have not been able to conduct it,” he said.

“These 11 months (for which the Federation was suspended) have been a waste. No tournaments have been conducted at all. Neither at the national or the state level. If we don’t hold (the junior and U-15 tournaments) by the end of December, it will mean a whole year is spoiled for our juniors and under 15 wrestlers,” he added.

The newly-elected president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Sanjay Singh with son of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, BJP MLA from Gonda Prateek Bhushan Singh and others, in New Delhi.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Sanjay Singh added that the next step following the nationals would be to be recognised once again by the international body (United World Wrestling) and prepare for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. “The UWW had suspended us because there was no federation. Now that elections have been conducted the UWW will recognise us.

This is very important. It is the Olympic year. We want to qualify more athletes in different weights (only one Indian athlete has qualified for the World Championships so far). We need to hold camps and need more exposure for our athletes. None of these things were happening Wrestlers have been suffering for a year and this is why we have been elected,” he said.

While Sanjay Singh may have won election to his post handily, not every post was won by his faction (Although 13 of the 15 posts were). Devender Kadiyan, who was elected as senior vice president and Prem Chand Lochab, who was elected as general secretary were from the side backed by the protesting wrestlers.

Sanjay Singh, however, said he didn’t see any problem working with the two. “It won’t be difficult to work with them. We won’t have separate thinking. They also want the benefit of wrestling as we do. I don’t have any personal animosity with any wrestler. Whoever is fighting well is welcomed by the federation,” he said.