Brij Bhushan Thanks Sports Ministry After Ban On Wrestling Federation Of India Is Lifted

March 11, 2025: Following the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports’ decision to lift the suspension on the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), former WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh expressed his gratitude to the government for restoring the federation’s status as a National Sports Federation (NSF) for wrestling.

Bhushan Singh thanked the Ministry and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for their role in reinstating the federation. He remarked, “This struggle lasted for about 26 months, and today the Wrestling Federation has been reinstated by the government. Therefore, we want to thank the government and the Sports Minister (Mansukh Mandaviya).”

He also criticized the wrestlers and politicians involved in the protests against the WFI, stating, “If anyone has suffered due to this, it is the players and junior players. The conspirators who were involved in this, their intentions were not fulfilled.” He further emphasized the importance of the wrestling tournaments and camps that had been disrupted due to the suspension, particularly for wrestlers from poor backgrounds, who relied on these events for diet and training.

The WFI had faced intense protests, led by prominent wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, who accused Brij Bhushan Singh of sexual assault. These protests, along with allegations of sexual harassment, led to the suspension of the WFI by United World Wrestling (UWW) in August 2023. An ad hoc committee from the International Olympic Association (IOA) was put in place to manage the affairs of the federation during this period.

In December 2023, elections were held, and Sanjay Singh was elected as the new president of the WFI. However, the wrestlers continued their protests, claiming that Singh was closely associated with the former president. The Ministry subsequently suspended the federation once again after Singh announced the hosting of the U-15 and U-20 nationals in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

The IOA re-established an ad-hoc committee to oversee the WFI’s operations, which remained in place until March 2024, when the committee was dissolved after the UWW lifted the ban on the WFI. The lifting of the suspension followed successful selection trials for future competitions, allowing the federation to resume its activities.

With the lifting of the suspension, Bhushan Singh is hopeful that the federation will continue to host tournaments and training camps, providing essential opportunities for upcoming wrestlers.