Bajrang Punia has tendered an unconditional apology to wrestling coach Naresh Dahiya for sullying his name during their protest against the then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The Sports Ministry warned of legal action against suspended Wrestling Federation of India president Sanjay Singh for making 'absolutely baseless and mischievous' claims.
The Sports Ministry said the suspended Wrestling Federation of India has no authority to conduct the Senior National Championships.
Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik met Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to once again request him to stop anyone related to former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh from contesting the upcoming polls.
Hardly 24 hours have passed since the formation of the new wrestling federation and trouble has started brewing within the sports body with Secretary General Prem Chand Lochab demanding postponement of the junior Nationals, saying the President did not follow rules while announcing the dates for the competition.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Friday decided at its Special General Meeting (SGM) that it will start functioning at 'no cost to the government' model if its request to lift the suspension is not considered by the Sports Ministry.
A look at NADA's list of suspended athletes reveals that wrestling has the second most dope offenders among all sporting disciplines in India.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Monday welcomed the suspension of the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), but said the Sports Ministry should have taken the decision earlier.
Gandhi's meeting with the wrestlers comes against the backdrop of a controversy surrounding the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The Wrestling Federation of India, battling a sexual harassment scandal, may need to safeguard women wrestlers to get its suspension lifted
WFI decided that it will seek a dialogue with the Sports Ministry for revocation of its suspension, saying it does not want a clash with the government and the legal options will be explored only if talks fail.
World Championships medallists Deepak Punia and Antim Panghal were among 30 Indian wrestlers selected for the Senior Asian Championships to be held in Amman, Jordan from March 25-30.
The suspension was imposed by UWW on August 23 last year after the national federation failed to hold elections in time.
The IOA ad-hoc panel on Wednesday rescheduled the WFI elections to July 11.
The Wrestling Federation of India said this was a temporary arrangement and the body will move to its new office in Connaught Place early next month.
Birj Bhushan loyalist Sanjay Singh becomes new WFI president
The following is the timeline of the chain of events that led to the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India by UWW, the sport's global governing body.
'Will we face politics even before we go to play for the country because we raised our voice against sexual harassment? Is this the punishment for raising voice against wrong in our country?'
IOA plans to hold WFI elections on July 4, appoints Retd. Justice Mahesh Mittal as returning officer
Asian champion Sunil Kumar, U-23 Asian Championship gold winner Minakshi, and several other Indian wrestlers gathered at Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya's residence, requesting his intervention to secure approval for their participation in the upcoming Ranking Series in Albania.
Prem Chand Lochab's election to secretary general's post is in violation of WFI's constitution and he is now preventing the growth of wrestling in the country by demanding a postponement of the junior Nationals, said Darshan Lal, who had lost to him in the recent polls, on Saturday.
Sanjay Singh, the Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist, on Wednesday exuded confidence of sweeping the much-delayed Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections, saying the fraternity knows who would be beneficial for the sport and who could inflict damage to it.
UWW, the world governing body for wrestling, has threatened to suspend India if the political interference in the affairs of the national federation does not end soon.
A fresh date for Wresting Federation of India's (WFI) long-pending elections is likely to be announced on Wednesday after the Supreme Court set aside the stay imposed by Punjab and Haryana High Court, a member of the IOA-appointed ad hoc committee said.
WFI elections now to be held on August 7
The newly-elected body of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Thursday cancelled all the decisions taken by the Bhupender Singh Bajwa-led ad-hoc panel, that had recently changed the Olympic selection criteria and announced hosting of senior National Championship in Jaipur.
For a few months an Indian Olympic Association ad-hoc panel ran the show but after UWW lifted its suspension following the conduct of elections, the committee was dissolved.
The IOA ad-hoc committee's lawyer did not appear before the Gauhati High Court on Monday.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside the stay imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court on holding of elections to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
United World Wrestling (UWW), the world governing body for wrestling, has suspended the Wrestling Federation of India for not conducting its elections on time.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has rejected all the allegations, including that of sexual harassment against its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
UWW will not interfere in the pending case relating to the alleged sexual harassment of Indian women grapplers by former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh but will "listen to the voices of athletes" if they approach the world body again, its chief Nenad Lalovic said on Monday.
The dates for the much-awaited WFI elections have been confirmed, with the results also set to be announced on the same day.
Sakshi Malik revealed that her family is getting threats.
The much-delayed elections of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) will be conducted on August 12.
Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik on Thursday advised the country's wrestlers to participate in the Nationals conducted by the ad-hoc committee in Jaipur and not in the event organised by the suspended national federation.
Delhi Police files chargesheet against WFI chief for sexual harassment, recommends cancellation of minor's complaint
The Sports Ministry on Saturday suspended Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, a fallout of the grapplers' allegations of sexual harassment and corruption against the sports body's chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Monday is the last date for filing nominations.
Sheoran, it is learnt, has the backing of the six wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, who led the protests against Brij Bhushan at Jantar Mantar.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances