Delhi, 21 December: Sanjay Singh from the UP Wrestling Association was elected as the new President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Thursday, along with his panel winning the majority of the posts.
Sanjay, from Varanasi, is a close associate of outgoing chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and as such the controversial outgoing chief gets indirect control of the sports body.
Sanjay secured 40 votes against his rival Anita Sheoran’s seven. However, the CWG gold medallist panel managed to secure the post of Secretary General with Prem Chand Lochab defeating Darshan Lal in polls that were delayed.
This election result comes as a disappointment to top wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik who had been actively protesting against Brij Bhushan and pushing for a change in leadership. They had accused him of sexually harassing women wrestlers but were unable to garner enough support for their cause.
It is expected that Sanjay Singh will consult with him on important policy decisions, given the outgoing chief’s immense interest in the sport.
