Brij Bhushan, Former WFI chief: “I have severed ties with wrestling”

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a BJP MP and the former head of the wrestling organization, announced on Monday that he had cut all connections to the sport and that it would not be discussed at his next meeting with Union Home Minister Amit. His statement is significant since the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), along with its newly elected head and other office-bearers, was suspended by the Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs on Sunday, according to an official announcement.

The Sports Ministry’s decision was made shortly after Sanjay Singh, the recently elected president of the WFI, said that the U-15 and U-20 national teams will be hosted by Nandini Nagar in the Gond district of Uttar Pradesh by the end of the year. The verdict was deemed “hasty” and a “complete disregard to the sports code” by the Sports Ministry. Later that day, Bhushan addressed a news conference and declared, “Sanjay Singh is not my relative. I’ve stopped becoming involved in national wrestling matters.” He reiterated on Monday that he has severed all connections to the sport and will not be participating in any sport-related events.

“I said everything I had to say yesterday. I’ve retired from the administrative side of wrestling and am no longer involved in the sport. If we get the chance to meet Union HM Amit Shah, we won’t talk about wrestling. While I work, Sanjay Singh should be doing his. I have nothing to do with this; the wrestling match is between the elected federation and the government,” Brij Bhushan told reporters.

In the meantime, Sanjay Singh, the recently elected president of WFI, expressed his opinion that children’s participation in sports is in danger and that he would soon have discussions with the government in response to the Sports Ministry’s previous decision. We’ll have a conversation with PM Modi, the Sports Minister, and the national government. Our children’s futures are in danger. A news outlet was informed by Singh that certain members of the executive committee will have discussions with the Center.

Regarding his relationship with the previous president of the WFI, Brij Bhushan, he stated that while they come from different backgrounds, they are friends. He also mentioned that he served as the joint secretary of the federation while the former was the head of wrestling’s highest governing body in the nation.

Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik addressed the press conference an hour later and declared her resignation from the sport, citing that the Center had broken its pledge to prevent a Brij Bhushan assistant from being elected to any position inside the WFI. During the press conference, she announced her intention to retire from wrestling by placing her shoes on the table.