Wrestlers call off protest as Singh agrees to resign
WFI writes to union sports ministry, rejects all allegations against its chief
India’s top wrestlers have called off a protest ater the head of the sport’s national federation reportedly agreed to step aside until claims of sexual harassment against him are investigated.
Dozens of male and female wrestlers, including Olympic and Commonwealth medallists, had announced a boycot of all competitions until Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was removed.
Singh, who is also a member of parliament from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has denied the allegations.
Wrestler Bajrang Punia announced the decision to call off the protest ater talks with India’s Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday.
“The minister told us that a commitee will be formed (to look into the allegations) and it will complete its work in one month,” Punia told reporters.
“We are confident that a thorough probe will be conducted.” Thakur said Singh “will step aside” until the investigation is completed within four weeks, the Times of India reported.
The protesting athletes were being led by Vinesh Phogat, a three-time Commonwealth Games champion and one of India’s most decorated woman wrestlers.
Phogat has accused Singh of harassing “several young wrestlers” and said that she knew “at least 10 to 20 girls” who had recounted sexual harassment at wrestling camps.
She has said that both girls and boys have come forward to accuse other senior figures in the sport of harassment and bullying.
Meanwhile, the WFI has sent a reply to the Union Sports Ministry, rejecting all the accusations, including that of sexual harassment, made by the top Indian wrestlers against Singh.
“The WFI is managed by an elected body as per its constitution, and therefore, there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement in WFI by anyone individually, including the president,” the WFI said in its response to the ministry.
“The WFI, in particular, under the siting president has always acted keeping the best interests of wrestlers in mind. The WFI has enhanced the image of wrestling sport nationally as well as internationally and for the record of this ministry, it is not possible without fair, supportive, clean and strict management of WFI,” it added.
“The WFI for redressal of grievances in respect of Sexual Harassment as required has already constituted a ‘SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMMITTEE,’ which consists of the following persons-vn Prasood, Secretary General, WFI: Chairman, Jai Prakash, Olympian, Jt. Secretary, WFI: Convener, Vishal Singh, Executive Member: Member, Debendra Kumar Sahoo, Executive Member, WFI: Member, Sakshi Malik, Arjuna/dhyanchand Khel Awardee: Member.”
“The information about Sexual Harassment Commitee of WFI is also already available on the website/portal of WFI public domain. Any aggrieved person/wrestler may approach the said committee for its grievances if any, which commitee is bound to inquire as per law. However, no such complaint of any such nature as has been aired by the protestors/wrestlers has been received so far.”
“Hence, any such media reports without any specific complaint received can never be taken note of by the WFI Sexual Harassment Commitee nor such allegations can be affirmed nor confirmed except to be denied having been so made as a kind of motivated, biased, unfounded, untrue and false bald allegations solely with a view to harm the President, WFI or the Coaches of WFI,” it added.
In the leter, WFI further stated that the “manner and method of protestors/wrestlers to air their allegation by siting at Dharna and also dong Press Conference certainly is part of a deeper and larger conspiracy” by vested interest either by “puting pressure on some weak wrestlers for vested interest or for gaining ground for themselves by maligning and defaming the management of WFI or its President or the Coaches and not otherwise.”
It further said, “Not any single allegation of sexual harassment is accepted nor has ever been noticed nor found nor so far complained nor reported to sexual harassment commitee to WFI, hence allegations to that effect are equally malicious and unfounded without being any truth in the mater except to come to public through media for making sot target to the prestige of the present management of the WFI as well as the siting president of WFI.”