IOA Form Ad Hoc Committee To Review Wrestling Federation Operations Amidst Chaos

Wrestlers had a 5-month long protest against WFI former president Brij Bhushan Sharan's alleged misconduct. Sanjay Singh replaced him as WFI president on December 21, causing turmoil. Sakshi Malik announced her retirement, while Bajrang Punia returned his award, and Sanjay Singh was suspended by the sports ministry. Now Indian Olympic Association forms a ad hoc committee to supervise WFI operations, which include athlete selection, submitting entries for which include athlete selection, submitting entries for athletes to participate in international events, organizing sports activities, handling bank accounts, managing the website, and other related responsibilities.

ANI tweeted the official letter from the Indian Olympic Association president DR.PT Usha which addressed our concern, letter says, "Elections to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) were held on 21 December 2023, in which Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh was elected as President and Shri Prem Chand Lochab as Secretary General amongst other office bearers of the Executive Committee of Wrestling Federation of India (WFT). 

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has recently become swore that the recently appointed President and officials of WFI have made arbitrary decisions in violation of their own constitutional provisions and against the principles of good governance espoused by IOC and further without following due process overturned the rulings of the IDA- appointed Ad hoc Committee. This not only highlights a governance gap within the Federation but also signifies a noticeable departure from established norms. Since the 10A considers adherence to governance norms as vital for ensuring fair play. transparency, and accountability and to safeguard the interests of the sportspersons as espoused by IOC and to ensure continuity, it has been decided to appoint an Ad hoc committee comprising of following with immediate effect.

1. Mr. Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, IOA EC Member-Chairman
2. Mr. MM Somaya-Member (c) Ms. Manjusha Kanwar Member

The Ad hoc Committee is tasked with overseeing and supervising WIT's operations, which include athlete selection, sabenitting entries for athletes to participate in international events, organizing sports activities, handling bank accounts, managing the website, and other related responsibilities.

What is Ad hoc committee and how does it work?

An ad hoc committee, also known as a select committee, is a temporary group of people brought together to address a specific issue or task with a defined timeframe. The term "ad hoc" literally means "for this purpose" or "as needed," highlighting the temporary nature of these committees.

Here's how an ad hoc committee typically works:

1. Formation: - Need & Creation: A need for a specific issue to be addressed is identified. This could be anything from investigating a complaint to evaluating a new software implementation.
2. Appointment: Depending on the context, the committee members could be appointed by a governing body, a manager, or another relevant authority. Their expertise and perspectives relevant to the specific issue are usually considered.
3. Size & Composition: Ad hoc committees are typically smaller than permanent committees, usually ranging from 3 to 10 members. The composition may include individuals from various departments or expertise areas to ensure a well-rounded perspective.