The Sports Ministry on Sunday stated the suspended Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has no authority to conduct the Senior National Championships and any occasion staged by the physique will likely be thought of “unsanctioned” and “unrecognised”.

Three days after the WFI held its polls final month, the Ministry had suspended the sports activities physique citing a number of violations of guidelines after which the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) shaped a three-member ad-hoc panel to handle the federation’s day-to-day affairs.

However, a defiant Sanjay Singh, President of the suspended WFI, stated that they may quickly organise the nationwide championships and insisted that they neither recognise the suspension of the newly-elected physique nor the ad-hoc panel.

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“It has come to the discover of the Ministry that you’ve issued a Circular bearing No. WFI/Senior National/Maharashtra/2024 dated 06.01.2024 on the letterhead of the Wrestling Federation of India concerning conduct of Senior National Wrestling Championship 2023 at Pune (Maharashtra) from 29–31 January 2024,” Ministry said in a letter.

“As per this Ministry’s order dated 24.12.2023, you have no authority to issue such a Circular or to use the letterhead of the Wrestling Federation of India wherein you claim affiliation of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.

“You must immediately cease and desist using the letterhead of the Wrestling Federation of India for such prohibited purposes and using the name, logos and insignia of the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India in violation of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011(Sports Code) and the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.” In the strongly-worded letter to Sanjay Singh, the Ministry additional stated that “any championships or competitions organized by you – the suspended Executive Committee members of the WFI – will likely be handled as unsanctioned and unrecognized competitions.

“Certificates of participation and medals gained in championships carried out by the WFI will likely be of no consequence and won’t be thought of for eligibility underneath any scheme of the federal government or appointment to authorities jobs/to get admission in class and faculties underneath sports activities quota, sports activities awards, and so on…

“Until additional orders, solely National Wrestling Championships for varied age classes organized underneath the supervision of the IOA-appointed Ad hoc Committee for Wrestling will likely be handled as sanctioned and acknowledged championships for wrestling underneath the Sports Code and all authorities advantages will solely accrue to the sportspersons collaborating in such National championships organized by the Ad hoc Committee.”

The ad-hoc panel had announced that it will host the senior national championships in Jaipur from February 2-5.

Indian wrestling has witnessed unprecedented power struggle in the last one year. In protest against Sanjay, who is a close aide of sexual harassment accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri and Vinesh Phogat returned her Arjuna Award and Khel Ratna.

Sakshi Malik had quit wrestling the day Sanjay won the WFI president’s election.

“This is very positive move by ministry of sports , government of India. It will be great milestone for all upcoming wrestlers,” stated Rohtash Singh, president of Harayana Amatuer Wrestling Association, which is among the factions of the state federation.