Sanjay Singh has been elected because the President of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) after the delayed polls to elect the office-bearers for the federation had been held on Thursday. Sanjay defeated Commonwealth Video games gold medal-winning wrestler Anita Sheoran 40 votes to 7, it was learnt.
After successful the elections, Sanjay took a potshot at a few of India’s prime wrestlers like Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat who had protested in opposition to the controversial Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh since December final 12 months.
“Jinko kushti karni hai woh kushti karein. Jinko rajneeti karni hain woh rajneeti karein. Rajneeti ka jawaab rajneeti ke akhade fundamental diya jaayega (These wrestlers who wish to compete, they need to wrestle. Those that wish to do politics, ought to do politics. Those that wish to bask in politics, will likely be answered within the political area),” he stated after his victory was declared.
Sanjay will take over the reins because the WFI chief from the controversial Brij Bhushan, who needed to step apart after India’s prime wrestlers like Bajrang, Sakshi and Vinesh led a protest in opposition to him. The protesting wrestlers had levelled severe allegations in opposition to the multiple-time Member of Parliament, together with sexual assault. The BJP MP from Kaiserganj was discovered answerable for prosecution for sexual harassment, molestation and stalking of girls wrestlers within the chargesheet of Delhi Police.
In the meantime, Prem Chand Lochab, who was from the opposing faction seemingly supported by the protesting wrestlers, has been elected because the secretary-general.
Sanjay, who hails from Varanasi, is a detailed affiliate of Brij Bhushan. He had advised The Indian Specific on Wednesday that he was assured of bagging 42 of the 50 votes within the elections. Sheoran, in the meantime, was backed by the protesting wrestlers. The 2010 Commonwealth Video games gold medalist is a witness and a corroborator within the case in opposition to Brij Bhushan.
“I’m assured of changing into the president of the WFI as a result of I’ve the help of no less than 42 of the 50 members of the electoral faculty. My panel will sweep the elections. Those that have the perfect curiosity of the game at coronary heart will vote for me. What occurred over the previous 12 months (wrestlers’ protest) has harm the game. I’ll be sure that no additional injury is finished,” Sanjay Kumar had advised The Indian Specific.
A report in The Indian Specific earlier this week had stated that Bajrang and Sakshi had referred to as on Union Sports activities Minister Anurag Thakur to request him to persuade Sanjay to withdraw from the WFI chief’s race.
“No one ought to intervene with elections of a federation whether it is occurring in a democratic method. Until now, no person has requested me to withdraw my title. I’ve been related to the Wrestling Federation of India for practically 12 years. I wish to work exhausting to make sure that the WFI returns to the heights, which our parliamentarian-president (Brij Bhushan) had taken it to,” Sanjay had advised Specific when requested concerning the wrestlers’ calls for
With the elections for the workplace bearers within the Wrestling Federation of India having concluded this paves the way in which for United World Wrestling, which is the worldwide governing physique for wrestling, to carry the suspension it had slapped on WFI. UWW had suspended the Indian wrestling physique for failing to conduct elections inside the deadline that they’d set in August.
Consequently, Indian wrestlers had competed as impartial athletes in world occasions over the previous few months.