“Have Nothing To Do With Wrestling Anymore”: Brij Bhushan Singh

Former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said that he has “retired” from wrestling and has “nothing to do with it”, stating now that the new federation has been formed it will take further decisions.

In a major decision, after fresh protests by star wrestlers Sakshee Malikkh and Bajrang Punia over the election of an aide of deposed WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as the new president of the wrestling federation, the Union Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the sport’s premier governing body in the country along with all its office-bearers.

Speaking to the media, the former WFI chief said that he has moved away from this controversy and has nothing to do with any wrestling activity.

“I have retired from wrestling, have nothing to do with it. I have completely retired from this subject. Now, I have nothing to do with any wrestling activity. I worked for 12 years in wrestling whether good or bad. Now, I have moved away from this controversy. A new federation has been formed, this new federation will decide what to do and what not to do,” Brij Bhushan told the reporters.

Also, the Union Sports Ministry on Sunday instructed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an ad-hoc committee to manage and control the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), as per a source from the ministry.

Earlier, newly elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh said on Sunday that some members of the executive committee of the federation will talk to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur after the minister suspended the governing body along with all its office-bearers.

Speaking to ANI, Mr Singh said that the future of children who are pursuing this sport is getting ruined and the federation will talk to the government.

“We will speak to the Central government, we will speak to PM Modi and the Sports Minister. The future of children is getting ruined, some members of the executive committee will go and talk,” said Mr Singh.

On his relationship with former WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh, Mr Singh said that they both come from different communities and they share a bond of friendship as he was the Joint Secretary in the federation during Brij Bhushan’s tenure as president of the sport’s governing body.

“When New Federation was formed, he (Brij Bhushan Singh) was sent off and today he said that he has retired from wrestling, Sakshi Malik has also retired…both of them have retired, so now both should let the federation run peacefully, wrestling has stopped, every time nationals come, activities are stopped, He (Brijbushan Singh) and I are from different communities, then how can we be relatives? When he was the president of the federation, I was joint secretary, there has been a bond and friendship from that time between us,” said Mr Singh.

Earlier, Sakshee Malikkh announced her retirement from wrestling at an emotional press briefing, claiming that the Centre went back on its word to not install an aide of Brij Bhushan as an office-bearer of the wrestling federation. Later, voicing his misgivings over the election of Sanjay Singh as the new WFI chief, fellow Olympian Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri in protest. The star wrestlers earlier led a protest by wrestlers who came out against Brij Bhushan, accusing him of sexual harassment.