Singh was talking on the sidelines of a Senior Nationals competitors in Pune that was carried out in defiance of orders from the Sports Ministry. He additionally stated that “those who go for the Olympics will be from the Pune Nationals only.”

The official discover from the ministry acknowledged that any competitors organised by the suspended federation will likely be handled as “unsanctioned /unrecognised” and that solely the ad-hoc committee appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had the facility to carry nationally-recognised tournaments. The ad-hoc panel has determined to carry its nationals in Jaipur from February 2-5.

“Based on an interview of yourself given to a national newspaper, published on 30.01.24, certain completely baseless statements have emerged which are causing confusion and anxiety among the athletes and others concerned with wrestling,” the discover additionally acknowledged.

“Please be advised that failure to adhere to this caution may compel the Ministry to consider further legal action including, but not limited to, legal proceedings for spreading misinformation and unsubstantiated claims and any other relevant charges as per the laws of the country,” it went on to say.

Singh, a loyalist of BJP MP and former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in opposition to whom a number of the nation’s prime wrestlers had held months-long protests over alleged sexual harassment, had been elected because the chief of the federation. Many of the brand new office-bearers, together with Singh, who stated that Brij Bhushan was like his “brother”, have brazenly claimed they’re loyalists of the previous president.

However, inside just a few days of the newly-elected members taking the reins, the sports activities ministry suspended the physique stating it had violated the National Sports Code and the structure of the WFI once they introduced Under-15 and Under-20 nationwide tournaments in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district, with out giving adequate discover to wrestlers and with out involving the secretary common of the WFI within the Executive Committee assembly through which the choice was taken.

They added that the newly-elected physique gave the impression to be in full management of the outgoing office-bearers and that the enterprise of the federation was nonetheless being carried out from the residence of the outgoing president. The WFI workplace has since moved out of Brij Bhushan’s residence.

While there was no point out of the allegations in opposition to Brij Bhushan within the authorities’s determination to droop the physique, it got here on the heels of objections from Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik – all of whom have been on the frontlines of the protest in opposition to Brij Bhushan – in opposition to the result of the elections. They objected saying that lots of the new office- bearers, together with Singh who stated that Brij Bhushan was like his “brother”, have been loyalists of the previous president.