An announcement by embattled Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh that he will not contest for the top post when elections are held on May 7 may seem like the end of an era, but his stepping down might mean little. As this newspaper reported on Monday, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh — a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian who is facing charges of sexual harassment from several top athletes — continues to enjoy the support of all 25 units that make up the national body and will likely influence the election or nomination of his successor. What’s more, the successor could be his son, Karan Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been senior vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh unit since 2019. After serving as president for three consecutive terms, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh should have stepped down last month as per the national sports code. Now that the WFI chief has indicated he will, the possibility of him using a proxy to control the body, which is embroiled in controversy, cannot be ruled out.
In January, an unprecedented rebellion by top wrestlers against WFI and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh alleged that the body was run as a fief where sexual harassment, abuse and mental torture were rampant. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh denied the charges, and the government instituted an inquiry and asked him to step aside. Yet, despite the spotlight on the culture of impunity, there has been little movement. The inquiry report by an oversight committee submitted in March is yet to be made public. Of course, change is not possible overnight, but attempts should be made to break the cycle of politically connected administrators running bodies either directly or by proxy and put the focus back on the players and their demands.
