Outgoing WFI president seeks to nominate his panel before August 12 elections
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the embattled and outgoing Wrestling Federation of India president, is not going down without a trick or two of his own. He has called for a meeting on Sunday to nominate his panel, which will then fight the WFI elections on August 12.
Brij Bhushan and his son Karan are not part of the electoral college for the elections. Brij Bhushan’s son-in-law Vishal Singh, though, is a representative from Bihar in the elections, and could aim for a top position.
Vinod Tomar, the outgoing WFI assistant secretary, confirmed that Brij Bhushan had schedules a meeting on July 30.
“Yes, the outgoing president has convened a meeting on Sunday. It has not been decided where the meeting will take place. The meeting will likely be attended by all those (state body officials) who support him (Brij Bhushan)," Tomar said.
"The presidents and secretaries of the various state associations will likely come for the meeting to discuss the candidates for the elections.”
July 31 is the last date for filing nominations.
Brij Bhushan is not eligible to contest as he has finished 12 years as an office-bearer. That is the maximum term allowed by the National Sports Code.
Currently, the Indian Olympic Association appointed ad-hoc committee, led by Bhupender Singh Bajwa, is looking after the day-to-day affairs of the WFI.
Ranbir Kundu, the Punjab Wrestling Association secretary, said on Friday that so far the association had not received an invitation for the meeting.
"So far, we have not received any invite. We are not going to field any candidate in the upcoming elections for the top posts. However, we will vote for truth and the betterment of wrestling in the country," Kundu said.
Two representatives from each state unit will be allowed to vote in the elections. But Maharashtra and Tripura will not have any representatives at the elections for technical reasons.
The nominations will be evaluated on August 2 and a final list of the candidates will be published on August 7.