<p><strong>New Delhi:</strong> After announcing that he has “retired” from wrestling and has “nothing to do with it,” former president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh declared that the newly created federation would make all future decisions.</p>
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<p>In a significant move, the Union Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the nation’s top sports body and all of its office holders in response to renewed protests by prominent wrestlers Sakshee Malikkh and Bajrang Punia regarding the appointment of an assistant to ousted WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as the new president of the wrestling federation.</p>
<p>In a public statement, the former WFI president said he was no longer involved in any wrestling-related activities and that he had moved on from the scandal.</p>
<p>“I have no involvement in wrestling anymore; I have retired.” I’ve given up on this topic altogether. I am not involved in any wrestling activities at this time. I worked in wrestling for twelve years, through good times and terrible. I have now moved on from this debate. Reporters were informed by Brij Bhushan that a new federation had been created, and it would determine what actions were appropriate and inappropriate.</p>
<p>Furthermore, according to a ministry source, the Union Sports Ministry directed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to establish an ad hoc committee on Sunday in order to oversee and govern the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).</p>
<p>Sanjay Singh, the recently elected president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), had earlier announced on Sunday that a few members of the federation’s executive committee would speak with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This comes after the minister suspended the governing body and all of its office-bearers.</p>
<p>The organization would speak with the government, Mr. Singh said in an interview with ANI, adding that youngsters who pursue this activity are losing out on their future.</p>
<p>“We’ll talk to the PM, the Minister of Sports, and the Central Government. Mr. Singh said, “Some members of the executive committee will go and talk about how the future of children is being ruined.”</p>
<p>Regarding his connection with the previous president of the WFI, Brij Bhushan Singh, Mr. Singh said that while they come from different backgrounds, they are friends since he served as the Joint Secretary of the federation when Bhushan was president of the organization that oversees sports.</p>
<p>“Sakshi Malik and Brikh Bhushan Singh were sent off when the New Federation was formed, and today they both announced that they had retired from professional wrestling. Since they are both retired, they should now allow the federation to operate peacefully. Wrestling has ceased, and whenever nationals arrive, activities are halted. Since Brikh Bhushan Singh and I come from different communities, how can we be related?</p>
<p>We have a connection and bond that dates back to the time I was joint secretary and he was the president of the federation,” Mr. Singh said.<br />
At an emotional news conference earlier, Sakshee Malikkh declared her resignation from wrestling, citing the Center’s betrayal of its pledge to not appoint Brij Bhushan’s assistant as an office bearer of the wrestling federation. Bajrang Punia, another Olympian, later returned his Padma Shri in protest, expressing his doubts about Sanjay Singh’s appointment as the new head of WFI. Prominent wrestlers had already spearheaded a demonstration in which they accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment.</p>