Full Text of WFI's Response to Sports Ministry Following Wrestlers' Protest

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been asked to step aside as WFI chief, pending the Sports Authority's investication.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was given a 72-hour deadline by the Sports Authority of India to reply to the allegations of sexual harassment, mental harassment and financial misappropriation made by the Indian wrestlers who were protesting at Jantar Mantar since Wednesday.

The Federation submitted its reply on Friday evening. Below if the full text of their letter to the Ministry.

Dear Sir,

1.      The Letter F.No.51-2/2023-SP-III dated 18.01.2023 was received vide e-mail in Wrestling Federation of India late evening on 18.01.2023 inviting reference to the protest held allegedly by some prominent Wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and also the Press Conference held their at 4:00 pm and as per the reports, serious allegations of Sexual Harassment of Woman Wrestlers by the President and Coaches of Wrestling Federation of India had been allegedly made including the charges of arbitrariness and mismanagement in the functioning of the Federation, which in brief is being replied and explained for the present without prejudice either of the any of the rights and remedies of the WFI or President, WFI or Coaches WFI as referred in any of the Media Reports or otherwise, for appropriate consideration by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Department of Sports, Govt. of India.

A.  Charges of arbitrariness and mismanagement of WFI.

With respect to alleged charges of arbitrariness and mismanagement of WFI it is brought to the notice of the Ministry as follows –

(i)      The WFI is managed by on elected body as per its constitution and therefore there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement of WFI by any one individually including the President, WFI.

(ii)    The WFI is managed also by its Rules, Regulations, Policy/Instructions etc. issued from time to time including in respect of its Policy on National Camps/Training/Coaching Camps etc. on the basis of “Regulation for Selection of Wrestlers for participation in the National Coaching Camps/ International Competitions” which are also mostly available in public domain on the website/portal of WFI. However, for ready reference the copy of the latest “National Camp Policy/Regulation for Selection of Wrestlers for participation in the National Coaching Camps/ International Competitions” is also annexed with this e-mail letter of WFI, which speaks for itself and establishes that there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement of WFI.

A copy of National Camp Policy/Regulation for Selection of Wrestlers for participation in the National Coaching Camps/ International Competitions is annexed with this letter.

(iii)      The WFI in particular under the sitting President (3^rd time) WFI has always acted keeping the best interest of Wrestlers in mind alongwith the best interest of India i.e. National interest as well and under the sitting President, WFI, the WFI has enhanced the image of Wrestling Sport Nationally as well as Internationally and for the record of this Ministry it is not possible without fair, supportive, clean and strict management of the WFI and the achievement apart from previous years, but of late years 2021 and 2022, the National events and Medals in World Championship may be taken note of as under—

2022  

• World U23  

  1 Gold, 1 Silver & 4 Bronze [6 Medals]. While only 10 Wrestlers participated in this Event

•  World Senior  

  2 Bronze  

• World U20  

  1 Gold, 4 Silver & 11 Bronze [16 Medals]  

• World U17  

  7 Gold, 1 Silver & 6 Bronze [14 Medals]  

2021

• World U23  

  1 Silver & 4 Bronze [5 Medals]  

•  World Senior  

  1 Silver  

• World U20  

  4 Silver & 7 Bronze [11 Medals]  

• World U17  

  5 Gold, 1 Silver & 7 Bronze [13 Medals]  

(iv)          The WFI further brings to the notice that the following National Wrestling events held in 2022 also speaks of fair, supportive, clean and strict management of the WFI and clearly proves unsubstantiated but surmised, conjectured, ill will based, malicious, unfounded media allegations against the WFI qua its management, which as acted in the best interest of the Wrestlers and also has contributed positively to the National interest and the WFI management is rather feels so proud to conduct the below mentioned events in 2022—

National Wrestling Events held in 2022

1.        1st Open Senior National Ranking Tournament held at Nandini Nagar, Nawabganj Gonda (Uttar Pradesh) from 10th to 12th January 2022

2.        Under 20 [Junior] Boys Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women National Wrestling Championship held at Patna [Bihar] from 29^th to 31^st March 2022

3.        Open National Ranking Tournament in Under-15 Free Style, Greco Roman Style and Women Wrestling held at Patna [Bihar] from 31^st March to 2^nd April 2022. 

4.        Under -17 [Cadet] Boys Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women National Wrestling Championship held at Ranchi [Jharkhand] from 15^th to 17^th April 2022

5.        2022 Federation Cup [Senior] Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women National Wrestling Championship held at Ranchi [Jharkhand] from 17^th to 19^th April 2022

6.        Under -15 Boys Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women National Wrestling Championship held at Ranchi [Jharkhand] from 27^th to 29^th May 2022

7.        1^st Under-20[Jr.] Open Ranking National Tournament in FS, GR & Women Wrestling held at Ranchi [Jharkhand] from 27^th to 29^th May 2022 

8.        The 4^th Edition of Khelo India Youth Games at Panchkula [Haryana] from 1^st to 14^th June 2022

9.        1^st Under - 17 Open Ranking National Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Sector – 3, Panchkula from 26^th to 28^th June 2022

10.        2022 Federation Cup [U-15] & [U-20] Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at MDU, Rohtak [Haryana] from 24^th to 26^th August 2022.

11.        2022 Federation Cup [U-15] & [U-20] Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at MDU, Rohtak [Haryana] from 24^th to 26^th August 2022.

12.        2022 Under-23 Senior Free Style, Greco Roman Style and Women National Wrestling Championship held at Cochin [Kerala] from 1^st to 4^th September 2021.

13.        2022 Federation Cup (Under-17) Free Style, Greco Roman Style and Women National Wrestling held at Jasola [Delhi] from 21^st to 22^nd September 2022.

14.        2022 National Games held at Gandhinagar [Gujarat] from 23^rd September to 10^th October 2022

15.        1^st WFI Grand Prix (Under – 15) National Wrestling Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Gonda [Uttar Pradesh] from 29^th to 31^st October 2022.

16.    1^st WFI Grand Prix (Under – 20) National Wrestling Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Gonda [Uttar Pradesh] from 29^th to 31^st October 2022.

17.    1^st WFI Grand Prix (Senior) Wrestling Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Haridwar [Uttarakhand] from 12^th to 15 November 2022.

18.    1^st WFI Grand Prix (U-17) Wrestling Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Haridwar [Uttarakhand] from 12^th to 15 November 2022.

19.        2^nd WFI Grand Prix (U-15) Wrestling Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Bahadurgarh [Haryana] from 5^th to 6^th December 2022.

20.        2^nd WFI Grand Prix (U-20) Wrestling Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Bahadurgarh [Haryana] from 5^th to 6^th December 2022.

21.        2^nd WFI Grand Prix (Senior) Wrestling Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Rohtak [Haryana] from 28^th to 29^th December 2022.

22.        2^nd WFI Grand Prix (U-17) Wrestling Tournament in Free Style, Greco Roman Style & Women Wrestling held at Rohtak [Haryana] from 28^th to 29^th December 2022.

23.  2022 Senior Men Free Style, Greco Roman Style and Women National Wrestling Championship at Visakhapatnam [Andhra Pradesh] from 21st to 23rd December 2022.

(v)          The WFI further brings to the notice that no one has specifically brought to the notice of the management of WFI with respect to any of grievances about policy, rules, regulations, instructions etc. of the WFI nor to the knowledge of management any such policy, rules, regulations, instructions etc. of the WFI has so far been successfully questioned before any court of law.

(vi)        The WFI further brings to the notice that sitting management of WFI is Wrestling Oriented and not Wrestlers Centric except to help and support Wrestlers either as per the policy, rules, regulations, instructions etc. of the WFI or the Govt. of India or of any International Body and does not allow whims and fancies of any one including either of the coaches or of the wrestlers as the management of WFI is committed for promotion of Wrestling in the best possible manner in which this management has been so successful as per its track record in particular of this sitting President, WFI, where there is no scope for any arbitrariness and mismanagement of WFI except taking care of and/or acting in the best interest of the Wrestling as well as Wrestlers as per the policy, rules, regulations, instructions etc. of the WFI or the Govt. of India or of any International Body.

(vi) The WFI further brings to the notice that neither the management nor any office bearers of WFI allows any arbitrariness and mismanagement of WFI nor prefers any undue acceptance of unreasonable request of any Wrestlers or otherwise.

Hence, the Media protesters may not be taken seriously, who have evidently acted more in personal interest or under undue pressure or under any larger bigger conspiracy to malign and defame the present sitting management of the WFI or President, WFI for vested interest only, for which the protesters wrestlers are accountable to explain for themselves, to the public as well as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Department of Sports, Govt. of India particularly when mostly the protestors evidently are seen coming together from a particulars region/State of Haryana. It would also be worth drawing attention that even the next election for the management of WFI is due in near future of the year 2023. All such reasons and facts relating to the aforesaid evidently points that the protest is not in the best interest of the Wrestlers nor for the promoting good Wrestling in India, but it has some personal as well as hidden agenda to dislodge the current fairest and strict management of WFI and also by conspiracy to create such adverse atmosphere in public to create undue pressure with a view to malign and defame thereby for their hidden agenda directly or indirectly.

B.  Allegations of Sexual Harassment of Woman Wrestlers by the President and Coaches of Wrestling Federation of India.

(i) The WFI is managed by the policy, rules, regulations, instructions etc. of the WFI or the Govt. of India or of International Body for the promotion of Wrestling as per its Constitution and Policy etc. and is not governed by the whims and fancies of any individual office bearers including President of WFI, which are also mostly available in public domain. 

(ii)  The WFI for redressal of grievances in respect of Sexual Harassment as required has already constituted a ‘SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMMITTEE’, which consists of following persons—

1.     Sh. V.N. Prasood, Secretary General, WFI: Chairman

2.     Sh. Jai Prakash, Olympain, Jt. Secretary, WFI: Convener

3.     Sh. Vishal Singh, Executive Member: Member

4.     Sh. Debendra Kumar Sahoo, Executive Member, WFI: Member

5.     Ms. Sakshi Malik, Arjuna/Dhyanchand Khel Awardee: Member 

(iii) The information about Sexual Harassment Committee of WFI is also already available on the website/portal of WFI public domain. Any aggrieved person/wrestler may approach the said committee for its grievances if any, which committee is bound to inquire as per law. However, no such complaint of any such nature as has been aired by the protestors/wrestlers has been received so far. Hence, any such media reports without any specific complaint received can never be taken note of by the WFI Sexual Harassment Committee nor such allegations can be affirmed nor confirmed except to be denied having been so made as a kind of motivated, biased, unfounded, untrue and false bald allegations solely with a view to harm the President, WFI or the Coaches of WFI.

(iv) The manner and method of protestors/wrestlers to air their allegation by sitting at Dharna and also dong Press Conference certainly is part of deeper and larger conspiracy for vested interest either by putting pressure on some weak wrestlers for vested interest or for gaining ground for themselves by maligning and defaming the management of WFI or its President or the Coaches and not otherwise.

(v) Not any single allegation of sexual harassment is accepted nor has ever been noticed nor found nor so far complained nor reported to sexual harassment committee to WFI, hence allegations to that effect is equally malicious and unfounded without being any truth in the matter except to come to public through media for making soft target to the prestige of the present management of the WFI as well as the sitting President of WFI.

However, in addition to aforesaid the management of WFI shall also be ready and willing to explain or provide any other information to the Ministry as and when so sought by the Ministry. 

Thanking you,

Yours

Wrestling Federation of India, (WFI)

Through its General Secretary,

Shri V.N. Prasood,

21, Ashoka Road,

New Delhi-110001.