In a significant development, Sanjay Kumar Singh, a close associate of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has been elected as the new president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The much-anticipated elections, previously delayed on several occasions earlier this year, finally took place on Thursday, December 21 in New Delhi. The voting process unfolded with the counting commencing immediately after the conclusion of the voting phase.
The outcome of the Wrestling Federation of India's election carries added importance as it signals the potential end to the suspension imposed by the global wrestling body, United World Wrestling (UWW). The UWW had suspended the WFI for its failure to meet the election deadline set in August. Consequently, Indian wrestlers participated in international competitions as neutral athletes in the recent months.
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While Sanjay will now take over as the WFI President, Prem Chand Lochab will take over as the Secretary General of the federation. Sanjay headed into the WFI elections having already been the vice-president of the UP Wrestling Federation. He beat Anita Sheoran by 40 votes to 7 to be elected to the Presendential post. Moreover, Sanjay was also part of WFI's last executive council while also being the national federations's joint secretary since 2019.
It is pertinent to note that that besides the post of the president, elections will also be held for senior vice-president, vice-presidents, secretary-general, treasurer, joint secretaries and executive members. However, Sanjay is confident that his entire panel will be elected after clinching the elections.
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"I am confident that we will win. We have the votes of 41 state units with us. Our entire panel will emerge victorious," he said as quoted in a PTI report.