The Union Ministry of Sports has asked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an ad-hoc panel to run day-to-day affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The decision came shortly after the ministry suspended the newly elected WFI management amid strong protest from wrestlers.

In a letter to the PT Usha-led IOC, the ministry said that panel will manage and run daily affairs of the WFI, including selection of athletes for international events.

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The decision was taken after athletes raised serious concerns on the election of Sanjay Singh as WFI president. Singh is a close associate of former WFI chief and BJP MP Brijbushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexually assaulting women wrestlers during his term.

After Sanjay Singh’s election, The BJP MP had claimed that his “dominance will continue”, apparently mocking the women wrestlers who accused him of sexual assault.

“Taking note of the compelling current situation arising out of the influence and control of the WFI’s former office bearers, serious concerns have arisen about the governance and integrity of the WFI,” the letter said.

Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik had quit wrestling in an emotional press conference held after Sanjay Singh’s election. A day later, another Olympic medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri award and left it on a footpath near Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in a show of support to Malik and other women wrestlers.

“This requires for immediate and stringent corrective measures to uphold the principles of good governance in sports organisations, and thus, now it becomes incumbent on the part of the IOA to make suitable arrangements for the interim period for managing the affairs of WFI, so that sportspersons of wrestling discipline do not suffer in any manner and the principle of good governance in the sports body do not get jeopardised,” the Sports Ministry said in the letter.

Meanwhile, Brijbushan Sharan Singh has distanced himself from the Wrestling Federation of India and announced his “sanyas” (retirement) from the wrestling.