Wrestlers call off protest; WFI president to step aside till probe is completed

It took a little over six hours but the deliberations between Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and the wrestlers, including Ravi Dahiya, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, bore fruit as they called off their three-day-long dharna.

The wrestlers had dug in their heels, demanding the immediate removal of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the disbandment of the sports body because of sexual harassment allegations and other gross irregularities in the functioning of the federation.

However, during parleys held at the residence of the sports minister, both sides agreed on a middle path to end the impasse. As per the understanding, Thakur announced that an overseeing committee would be formed to inquire into the allegations of sexual misconduct and financial irregularities.

The committee – names of the members will be announced on Saturday—will revisit the issue of the athletes and file a report in four weeks. To ensure the probe is impartial, WFI president Singh will step aside from his role and the committee will take over the day-to-day affairs of the federation.

“We have decided to form an overseeing committee. All allegations will be probed. Till the time the probe is on, the committee will look after the day-to-day affairs of the federation and WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will step aside from his role and cooperate in the probe,” Thakur told the media on Friday night.

The minister also stated that the federation had filed its reply to the ministry within its deadline of 72 hours and further action would be taken soon.

“I am thankful to our minister that he heard us and made this decision to probe the allegations. We are hopeful that this probe will be done in an impartial way and the minister has assured us that it is his responsibility. Some of us have received threats in the past and athletes were scared of the backlash after we came out in the open but we have been assured of all help,” Bajrang Punia said.