New Delhi: On Thursday, the Delhi high court raised concerns about the absence of a capable organization within the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to handle the selection of a team for the Asian Wrestling Championship set to take place in Jordan starting March 25.

The court, led by Chief Justice DK Upadhayay and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, noted the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) failure to reinstate the ad hoc committee responsible for overseeing WFI's operations, along with the ongoing suspension of the Sanjay Singh-led WFI by the union sports ministry. They expressed that this situation is quite unfortunate for both athletes and the sport itself.

The court pointed out, “Due to the non-restoration of the ad hoc committee and the current suspension, there’s no competent body available to select a team for the international event. This is certainly not a good situation for the athletes and the sport.”

During the hearing, WFI's senior advocate Dayanan Krishnan requested the court to put a hold on the August 16 order that reinstated the ad hoc committee, arguing that its operation had prevented Indian wrestlers from competing in at least six events, as the UWW only recognizes teams sent by affiliated bodies. He also mentioned that if the wrestlers miss out on the continental championships, they would be further excluded from the World Championships.

The court came up with a suggestion to make sure the players get involved by putting a hold on the August 16 order and letting two players join the committee in the WFI that’s responsible for selecting players. They pointed out that bringing back the ad hoc committee would need approval from the UWW. However, they didn’t issue that order because the involved parties, including the WFI and wrestlers like Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and her husband Satyawart Kadian, couldn’t agree on the matter.

The IOA, represented by senior lawyer Kirti Uppal, mentioned that they were working on reinstating the ad hoc committee. On the other hand, the union sports ministry, represented by senior lawyer Jayant Mehta, said they were reviewing their December 24 order that asked the IOA to set up an ad hoc committee and would make a decision by Monday evening.

Taking all this into account, the court scheduled the next hearing for March 11 (Tuesday).

Read Also: Gillespie Unleashes Fresh Criticism on Aaqib Javed

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!