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Centre sacks WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar for backing chief, stops tournament | More sports News



NEW DELHI: A day after brokering a peace deal and asking Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to ‘step aside’ pending investigation into allegations of harassment sexual harassment and threats against him, Anurag . Union Sports Minister Thakur on saturday was fired WFIassistant secretary Vinod Tomar with immediate effect on his public remarks as Gonda defended Singh, a BJP strongman and six-time Lok Sabha MP.
Thakur said he has also canceled the ongoing national Open Wrestling Championships in Gonda, after photos and videos of Singh attending the tournament as a ‘guest’ emerged. Singh attended the tournament at the Nandini Nagar sports stadium in Gonda but kept a low profile and did not make any statements.
These images incited the wrestling community after protest wrestlers called off their three-day rally at Jantar Mantar with Thakur’s assurances that Singh would not interfere with the day-to-day running of the group. WFI until the commission of inquiry submits its report.

Speaking exclusively to TOI on Saturday night, Thakur said he strongly objected to Tomar’s comments made to a video news agency, where he defended Singh by calling accusations that top female wrestlers of the country accused him of being “baseless”.
Thakur added that tomato was also suspended for embezzlement of funds received through sponsorship. “I took a strong stance on Tomar’s interview and the inappropriate financial allegations against him. We have decided to suspend him pending an investigation against him. This is the first step in the direction where we go with the wrestlers,” said the minister.

“I will cancel the tournament in Gonda until the committee takes over the work of the WFI. They will be making a call about its behavior, he added.
Hours after issuing Tomar’s suspension letter, the department issued another office order directing WFI to “stop all ongoing activities with immediate effect” unless the oversight committee is approved by the supervisory committee. formal designation and takeover of the federation’s day-to-day operations. The ministry also directed WFI to return the entrance fees collected by event participants.

In its letter to suspend Tomar, the ministry wrote: “The Department has taken note of reports of WFI activities, including the role of Vinod Tomar, and has reason to believe that his continued presence would be detrimental for the growth of this high-ranking institution. academic priority. Therefore, regarding the provision of the 2011 sports code, the ministry decided to suspend Vinod Tomar immediately, and accordingly, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) was directed to refer this decision to the WFI immediately. immediately,” the circular read.
Tomar has been involved as an assistant secretary of the WFI since October 28, 2002, and his salary has been reimbursed by SAI from funds allocated under the Support Program for National Sports Federations. family (NSF).

It is known that these decisions were made to appease agitated wrestlers who felt deceived and disappointed by the Ministry after Singh attended the national tournament in Gonda.
In Gonda, Singh was accompanied by MLA son Prateek Bhushan, WFI vice president Karan Bhushan Singh, BJP MLA Ajay Singh and Paltu Ram. He spent the day at the stadium and socializing with people of good will.
There have been talks about the wrestlers launching a new attack and restarting the sit-in rally at Jantar Mantar, demanding Singh’s suspension. However, it is known that after the events of Saturday night, they have canceled the second wave of agitation.

Earlier in the day, WFI denied all allegations, including sexual harassment, against Singh, in an eight-page reply to the ministry and stated that the wrestlers’ protest was motivated pushed by an “underground program aimed at overthrowing the current management”.
“WFI is governed by a body elected according to its constitution, and as such, there is no right for arbitrariness and mismanagement in WFI by any individual, including the president,” WFI said. know in response to the Sports Department.
“WFI, under the incumbent president, has always acted in the best interests of the wrestlers.
“WFI has enhanced the image of the sport of wrestling locally as well as internationally and for this department’s achievement, it cannot be without fair, supportive, clean and rigorous management of WFI, ‘ it added.
Meanwhile, WFI VN general secretary Prasood arrived in Lucknow on Saturday night and told TOI that the federation’s special executive board meeting would take place on Sunday morning.
It is unclear whether Singh attended the meeting.
Prasood, who has also chaired the WFI’s sexual harassment committee since 2019, said: “No individual has brought a sexual harassment complaint before me or any of the committee members. is different. No one makes such allegations even in casual conversations or interactions.”
Defending Singh’s presence at the Gonda event, WFI’s Vinod Tomar said the schedule for the opening ceremony was prepared months in advance and he did not attend the tournament as federation president but ” as a sports enthusiast and as a traveler.”

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