IOA forms a three-member ad-hoc committee; Bhupinder Singh Bajwa made the chairman

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday has constituted a three-member ad-hoc committee. Bhupinder Singh Bajwa has been made the chairman of the committee. Apart from Bajwa, the other members will be MM Somaya and Manjusha Kanwar.

Also Read: 'Are We Traitors, PM Modi?' Vinesh Phogat writes to Prime Minister, announces to return Khel Ratna and Arjun Award

This decision has been taken three days after the Olympic Association suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Sunday (24 December). Behind this, the Ministry had said that the newly elected body did not follow the procedure and hastily announced the organization of Under-15 and Under-20 National Championships without giving adequate time to the wrestlers to prepare.

Recently, Sanjay Singh, close to BJP MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, was elected president of WFI. After this, veteran wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia were the main faces of the protest against the newly appointed president of WFI.

Sakshi Malik took retirement

Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi Malik had announced to quit wrestling in protest against the selection of Sanjay Singh. After placing her shoes on the table during a press conference, she had said emotionally, "We fought with all our heart, but a close friend of Brij Bhushan Singh has been elected as the President of WFI, so I am quitting wrestling because of this."

Bajrang Punia returned Padma Shri

Bajrang Punia had written a letter to PM Modi and announced to return the Padma Shri. Regarding this, when Punia was going to meet PM Modi to hand over the letter to him, he was stopped by Delhi Police officials on his duty. After this Punia left the Padma Shri on the footpath.

Vinesh Phogat will return Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award

World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat on Tuesday (26 December) decided to return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award to PM Modi to mark their protests against the latest development in Indian wrestling.

IOA formed new ad-hoc committee

The IOA formed the ad hoc committee at the ministry's request. Bajwa was also part of the previous ad-hoc committee that was responsible for running the WFI and holding the elections after the sports ministry declared the former executive body of the federation null and void in the face of wrestlers' protests and allegations of sexual harassment of women wrestlers against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former federation president.

The WFI is currently serving a ban imposed by the sport's international body, United World Wrestling (UWW), since the federation failed to conduct elections in time.

Also Read: WFI Elections: Sanjay Singh becomes the new president of Wrestling Federation of India

The newly elected president Singh, who defeated former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran 40-7 in the elections, rushed to the bungalow of Brij Bhushan, a BJP MP from Kaiserganj, soon after winning the elections. They also posed for photographs, with Brij Bhusan seen heavily garlanded by his supporters, gave statements and called for national U15 as well as the U20 championships in Gonda, the home turf of Brij Bhushan. It sparked an uproar among wrestlers.