Guwahati:Ad-hoc Committee-WFI has granted membership to Assam Wrestling Association . In a letter Member- Ad-hoc Committee for WFI Bhupender Singh Bajwa writes -this is in regard to your application letter dated 9th June 2023 requesting the affiliation as a Member of the Wrestling Federation of India [WFI]. Having considered your application, through the powers vested in the Ad-Hoc Committee of WFI, you are granted membership of Wrestling Federation of India with immediate effect.
This decision is subject to the outcome of the case filed by Assam Wrestling Association in the Hon’ble High Court of Gauhati in Case No. WPC (C)/3757/2023. You are requested to deposit the fee of Rs 20,000/- as prescribed for the New Entrants along with a fee of Rs 3000/- as annual membership. It is noteworthy that Assam Wrestling Association is headed by Ratul Sharma as President, Gouranga Roy as Secretary and Abhinash Das as Treasurer now. Earlier In a petition filed by the Assam Wrestling Association (AWA) before the Gauhati High Court, AWA has accused the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) of not giving the state body affiliation even after a recommendation from the executive committee of WFI nine years ago.AWA claimed that it has been actively involved in promoting wrestling in Assam and organised various national as well as state-level events on behalf of WFI for several years.The state association is entitled to be an affiliated member of WFI, but the matter has been pending for long.The state sports body stated in the petition that AWA is yet to be affiliated to the WFI despite a recommendation made by the then executive committee to the general council of the WFI at a meeting held in Gonda in Uttar Pradesh in 2014.AWA had alleged that several efforts were made to address the issue with the WFI, but the matter of affiliation has been kept pending for the last nine years.The state association also challenged the election date announced by the WFI and mentioned in the petition that unless AWA becomes an affiliated member of WFI, the state body cannot send its representatives to the electoral college.“In such a situation, the wrestlers from Assam shall be deprived of participation in any national tournaments organised by the WFI,” the petition said.At last Ad-hoc Committee-WFI has granted membership to Assam Wrestling Association .
