A key witness in the sexual harassment case against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Commonwealth Games 2010 gold medallist Anita Sheoran has filed her candidature for the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) presidency. The 38-year-old grappler's nomination holds significant importance as she may become the first woman to head a sport that owes its origin to all-male akhadas.
Anita Sheoran's candidature comes at a crucial time, with the WFI elections set to take place on August 12. The 38-year-old is one of the four candidates contesting for the president's role, with her opponents being Jai Prakash, an Olympian and the president of the Delhi Wrestling Association, and Sanjay Singh Bhola from Uttar Pradesh, both closely associated with Brij Bhushan's panel. Brij Bhushan, who is a Member of Parliament from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), faces allegations of sexual harassment by six women wrestlers. The matter is in the Delhi High Court.
Despite the ongoing controversy surrounding Brij Bhushan, his camp has filed nominations for all 15 posts, and claims support from at least 22 out of the 25 state units, as per a report. However, Anita Sheoran's nomination has led to speculation that she may have the backing of wrestlers who are protesting against Brij Bhushan's alleged misconduct. The government has acknowledged that these protesting wrestlers could have a significant influence in determining the top positions within the WFI, as per Indian Express.
Anita Sheoran's potential election to the presidency would be a historic milestone for Indian women in sports. While Indian female wrestlers have made a mark internationally over the years, decision-making roles within the sport have predominantly been held by men. Sheoran's leadership would break the barriers that have hindered female representation at the highest levels of wrestling administration.
The final decision lies in the hands of the 50-member voters' and candidates' list. The nominations were filed before former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar, who has been appointed as the Returning Officer for the WFI elections. Sheoran is the only woman in the candidate's list.
Justice Kumar told news agency PTI that there are 30 individuals who have applied for various positions in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections. Among the positions, there are four candidates vying for the post of president, three for senior vice-president, six for vice-president, three for general secretary, two for treasurer, three for joint secretary, and nine for executive members' posts. The list of all candidates with properly completed nomination papers will be displayed on the WFI website on August 2.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)
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