Sanjay Singh was a name not much known even in India's wrestling community just over a year back, but the developments of the last 11 months, that have seen him rise from the post of Joint Secretary of the Wrestling Federation of India to the President mean he is someone the country now knows, and recognises.
That happens, when you're elected to the top post of a national sports body, and manage to do enough in two days in office to get suspended by the country's Sports Ministry.
So now as the 11 month ordeal of the wrestlers continue as they keep up the pressure on authorities to have a Brij Bhushan-free WFI, here's a timeline of everything that's transpired since the announcement of Sanjay Singh's 40-7 victory over CWG gold medallist wrestler Anita Sheoran.
21 December: Lochab Elected in Sanjay Singh-Led General Body
The WFI was being run by an ad-hoc body since March of 2023 when Brij Bhushan's tenure as the WFI officially ended, having served a maximum term of 12 years in the body's top post. The election though were first slated for 4 July and then was rescheduled to 12 August before a stay by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which was only lifted in December, allowing for the election date to be set as 21 December.
Voting took place for 15 posts as the Brij Bhushan-supported faction, led by Sanjay Singh, had their candidates win for most, apart from Prem Chand Lochab who defeated Darshan Lal 27-19 to the post of Secretary General. Lochab was part of Sheoran's faction, having worked with Bajrang Punia, Vinesh and Sakshi closely in the past in his capacity as the former secretary of the Railway Sports Promotion Board. Devender Singh Kadian, also considered an ally of the wrestlers, claimed the senior vice president’s post, beating I D Nanavati 32-15.
BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh with president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Sanjay Singh at his residence, in New Delhi.
(Photo: PTI)
21 December: Sanjay Singh Takes Celebrations to Brij Bhushan's Home
Despite the focus of the election being to form a Brij Bhushan-free Wrestling Federation of India, the message was clear for all when Sanjay Singh headed directly to Brij Bhushan's MP home in New Delhi to celebrate his victory in the election.
"The wrestlers who want to wrestler are competing, those who want to play politics are doing that. Those who are playing politics, they will get their reply in the political arena," he did say in a quick interview with the media on his way to Brij Bhushan's home.
A few hours later, standing alongside Brij Bhushan, Sanjay Singh faced the cameras even as his 'elder brother' answered questions on the election. "A message has been given. Every akhaada (wrestling academy) in the country is bursting firecrackers. Dabdabaa tha, dabdabaa rahega! I want to give the credit of victory to the wrestlers of the country and the electors. I want to thank the government as well. The elections were done on the instructions of the Supreme Court... the Centre went ahead to make sure elections happened and a non-partisan person was chosen as president," Brij Bhushan said.
21 December: Protesting Sanjay's Election, Sakshi Malik Quit Wrestling
On the evening of the election, the three wrestlers who led the protest against Brij Bhushan held a press conference in Delhi. Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik were in tears as they expressed their disappointment at Brij Bhushan's ally being allowed to hold the top post in the WFI.
Sakshi, India's first female wrestler to win an Olympic medal, placed her wrestling shoes on the console and said he was quitting the sport entirely. 'I’d like to thank the people of our country who came to support us during the protests earlier this year but if Brij Bhushan Singh’s business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling," she said before breaking down in tears.
22 December: Bajrang Leaves Padma Shri in Front of PM's Residence
The next day, Bajrang Punia announced he would be returning his Padma Shri award in protest of Sanjay Singh being elected the new WFI chief.
“We “respectable” wrestlers could not do anything. I will not be able to live my life as "respectable" after insulting female wrestlers. Such a life will torment me all my life. That's why I am returning this "honor" to you,” wrote Bajrang Punia in a letter," he said in a note posted on social media.
That same day the Olympic bronze medallist reached the Prime Minister's residence and kept the award near the footpath outside his house after being stopped by Delhi Police outside the Kartavya Path.
“I will give the Padma Shri award to anyone who will take it to PM Modi,” he told the Delhi Police officials.
The next day, 2005 Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh Yadav too announced he would be returning his 2021 Padma Shri award in protest of Sanjay Singh's election.
23 December: Prem Chand Lochab Raises Concerns
Soon after the voting was complete, Sanjay Singh also had made the decision to move the Under-20 and Under-15 wrestling nationals to Gonda, Brij Bhushan's stronghold.
Drawing focus on the dismissal of formal protocol to make such decisions independently, the new Secretary General wrote a letter to Sanjay Singh, also marking it to the IOA. He also said the change of venue of the nationals was a concern for some state units.
"In this regard, no regular meeting of the Executive Committee of WFI as per its Constitution has been conducted after the elections. In view of the above, it is felt that the grievances of state federations are genuine and may be considered and the U20 and U15 National Wrestling Championships 2023 scheduled at Nandini Nagar, Gonda from December 28-30 may be postponed," he wrote.
24 December: Sports Ministry Suspends WFI
In a remarkably swift move, the Sports Ministry announced on Sunday, 24 December, the suspension of the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India for that seemed to still be in "complete control of former office bearers, in complete disregard to the Sports Code".
“The business of the Federation is being run from the premises controlled by former office bearers. Which is also alleged premises wherein sexual harassment of the players have been alleged and present the court is hearing the matter," said the press note shared by the ministry.
“It is Secretary General of WFI, who has been made responsible for carrying out the general business of the Federation, keeping the minutes of the meetings, maintaining all the records of the Federation, calling the meetings of the General Council and the Executive Committee. It seems Secretary General has not been involved in the said meeting of EC, which was held without any notice or quorum.
The actions smack of complete arbitrariness on part of the President, which is against the settled principles of good governance and devoid of transparency and due process. Adherence to governance norms is vital for ensuring fair play, transparency and accountability. There are crucial to built trust among athletes, stakeholders, and the public,” the letter added, referring to Sanjay Singh's announcement of the move of the nationals.
New Delhi: BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh addresses the media after the Sports Ministry suspended the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) body for not following rules, in New Delhi, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023.
(Photo: PTI)
24 December: Brij Bhushan Says "Retired from Wrestling Work"
Hours after the Sports Ministry's announcement, ousted WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh held a press conference, claiming he had cut ties with wrestling and had nothing to do with the newly elected body getting suspended by the Sports Ministry.
"I have worked 12 years for the wrestlers. Time will tell if I have done justice. I am completely retired from wrestling. I have cut ties with wrestling. Now decisions and talks with the government will be done by the elected people of the federation," Brij Bhushan Singh said sitting in his very same New Delhi home where just three days previously Sanjay Singh had arrived shortly after being elected the WFI chief to celebrate the victory.
24 December: Sanjay Singh Claims Decision Was Unanimous
Speaking to the media later in the evening, Sanjay Singh tried to distance himself from Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and said the decision to hold the nationals within a week of his election was made with the approval of state units.
"Where the elections were held, the ad-hoc committee had called the general body and that meeting was adjourned and we decided to have a meeting in the hotel where the delegations from 24 states federations were present," he told India Today.
"This year's U15 and U20 calendar is ending on Dec 31, keeping this in mind, everyone decided that U-15 and U-20 Nationals should be conducted so that the children get certificates and the future of the children does not get spoiled.
The Sports Ministry though instead asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form a temporary committee to run the WFI “as per the defined role of NSFs in the National Sports Development Code of India-2011, including the selection of athletes, making entries for the participation of sportspersons in international events, holding of sporting activities, etc. with immediate effect, until further orders".
26 December: Sanjay Says Could Seek Legal Action
With the IOA now charged with forming a body to run the Wrestling Federation of India in the interim, new WFI chief Sanjay Singh said on Tuesday 26 December that he could seek legal recourse.
“I will go speak to the government. If that doesn’t work, I will seek legal advice. I have won the election in a democratic manner. The election was conducted on orders of the Supreme Court. Even the opposition took part in the voting of the election. There were observers of the IOA and UWW (United World Wrestling) as well. I request for the suspension to be lifted," he said while speaking to the media.
27 December: Ad-Hoc Committee Formed to Run WFI
Following the suspension of the WFI's new body, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) constituted a three-member ad hoc committee tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operations of the body.
The committee is be chaired by Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, who holds the position of president in the Wushu Association of India. The other two members include MM Somaya, an Olympian in hockey, and former international badminton player Manjusha Kanwar.
29 December: Wrestling Federation office Moved Out of Brij Bhushan's Home
“Wrestling Federation of India has been moved to the new address, 101, Hari Nagar near Ashram Chowk,” read a poster outside Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's New Delhi home on 29 December indicating that the national sports body's headquarters had finally been moved out of his premises.
In the letter announcing the suspension of the new WFI body, the Sports Ministry had drawn focus on the fact that the body was still being run from Brij Bhushan's home where, according to the FIRs, the alleged sexual harassment of players had also taken place.
New Delhi: Wrestler Vinesh Phogat walks with her Arjuna and Khel Ratna Awards before leaving them on a pavement near the Prime Minister's office as a mark of protest, in New Delhi, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023.
(Photo: PTI)
31 December: Vinesh Phogat Keeps up the Pressure
on 26 December, Vinesh Phogat also took to social media to share that she too would be returning her Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards, in protest of Sanjay Singh's election.
"I am returning my Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjun Award. Many thanks to the powers that be for putting us in this situation," she captioned the note addressed to the Prime Minister, that she shared on social media.
On the 31st of the month, she left her national sports awards on the footpath outside the PM's office.
2 January: Sanjay Singh to Act Against Govt Order
In a dramatic move, suspended WFI chief Sanjay Singh declared he did not recognise the ad-hoc panel appointed by the IOA to run the wrestling body and would instead be continuing on with his plan to conduct the national championships.
"The ad-hoc committee was established without consulting me or other elected members of the WFI. Hence, we do not recognise this panel," said Singh to a news channel.
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