India’s top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia on Friday wrote to president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) PT Usha on sexual harassment allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India and its chief Brij Bhushan Saran Singh.
Meanwhile, top Indian wrestlers’ meeting with Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur remained inconclusive on Thursday night as they refused to back down from their demand that the government immediately disband the Wrestling Federation of India.The marathon meeting began at around 10pm on Thursday, the second day of the wrestlers’ protest against WFI president Singh.
The wrestlers left Thakur’s house at 1.45am and did not speak to the reporters waiting outside.Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya, Sakshi Malik and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat were part of the meeting.
Thakur flew to Delhi from Himachal Pradesh after an earlier meeting between government officials and the protesting wrestlers remained inconclusive.The wrestlers will again meet the sports minister on Friday, according to government officials.The ministry cannot force Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to resign unless it receives a written reply from the WFI since the government itself has asked the wrestling body for an explanation.
The WFI is yet to respond to the Sports Ministry, which on Wednesday gave the wrestling body 72 hours to respond to allegations of sexual harassment of several women athletes.According to sources, the government wants the wrestlers to end their protest but the athletes are adamant that the WFI should be disbanded first.”The government can resolve other issues later. We are fine with that, but it must disband the WFI first,” a source close to the wrestlers told PTI.A team of wrestlers, including Bajrang, Vinesh, Anshu Malik, Sakshi and her husband Satyawrat Kadiyan met government officials earlier on Thursday and discussed their issues with Sports Secretary Sujata Chaturvedi and Sports Authority of India Director General Sandip Pradhan.
The WFI is yet to respond to the Sports Ministry, which on Wednesday gave the wrestling body 72 hours to respond to allegations of sexual harassment of several women athletes.
According to sources, the government wants the wrestlers to end their protest but the athletes are adamant that the WFI should be disbanded first.
“The government can resolve other issues later. We are fine with that, but it must disband the WFI first,” a source close to the wrestlers told PTI.
A team of wrestlers, including Bajrang, Vinesh, Anshu Malik, Sakshi and her husband Satyawrat Kadiyan met government officials earlier on Thursday and discussed their issues with Sports Secretary Sujata Chaturvedi and Sports Authority of India Director General Sandip Pradhan.
