No one from my family is contesting WFI elections: Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

PTI, Jul 31, 2023, 6:23 PM IST

Source: ANI / File

New Delhi: Outgoing Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Monday said no member of his family will contest the upcoming elections of the national sports body but reiterated that his group has the support of 22 state associations.

BJP MP Brij Bhushan had claimed that 22 out of 25 state units attended a meeting hosted by him on Sunday, adding that “his candidates” for various posts for the federation elections on August 12 will be announced on Monday.

Brij Bhushan visited the Indian Olympic Association office here on the last day of nomination for WFI elections on Monday.

“Today is the last day of nominations, members from 22 state associations were here and they came to meet and are now going for filing their nominations. There is no one from my family,” he said.

“Let the elections happen first and then whoever wins will do their work.”

Brij Bhushan, against whom the country’s six top wrestlers including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat had levelled allegations of sexual harassment and sat in protest at Jantar Mantar, is ineligible to contest as he has completed 12 years as head of the federation — the maximum period allowed as per the National Sports Code.

Brij Bhushan’s son Karan is also not part of the electoral college as Sports Minister Anurag Thakur had promised to the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar that none from the BJP leader’s family would contest the elections.

Besides, the BJP leader’s son-in-law Vishal Singh (President, Bihar Wrestling Federation), who was widely being touted as his successor for the top WFI post, will also not contest the August 12 election for any top position.

Brij Bhushan’s candidates could face challenge from rivals, who reportedly had a parallel meeting of their own at a different location in the national capital.

The meeting was reportedly attended by the state units of Assam, Odisha and Himachal Pradesh.