Wrestlers Acted In Personal Interest To Malign Current Management: Federation

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Saturday officially responded to the Sports Ministry on the allegations of sexual misconduct by its coaches and president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The reply comes after the wrestlers' protest was called off early on Saturday after assurance by union sports minister Anurag Thakur than an oversight committee would look into their allegations and complete an investigation in four weeks. The minister had added that Brij Bhushan would step aside from his post in the WFI till the time the probe is completed.

"The manner and method of protestors/wrestlers to air their allegation by sitting at Dharna and also dong Press Conference certainly is part of deeper and larger conspiracy for vested interest either by putting 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," the WFI wrote in a letter to the sports ministry. 

"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 committee to WFI, hence allegations to that effect is equally malicious and unfounded without being any truth in the matter except to come to public through media for making soft target to the prestige of the present management of the WFI as well as the sitting President of WFI."

The WFI added that it has always acted in the best interest of the sportspersons. "The WFI in particular under the sitting President (3rd time) WFI has always acted keeping the best interest of Wrestlers in mind alongwith the best interest of India i.e. National interest as well and under the sitting President, WFI, the WFI has enhanced the image of Wrestling Sport Nationally as well as Internationally," the letter added.

After getting assurances that their grievances would be addressed, wrestlers called off their protest following the second round of meeting with union sports minister Anurag Thakur that ended after midnight on Saturday. The minister assured the wrestlers, which included big names like Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, among others that investigation with regards to their allegations of sexual misconduct against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) coaches and president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will be completed in four weeks. An oversight committee will be formed to investigate the allegations, Thakur added. WFI chief Brij Bhushan will step aside till the time the oversight committee completes its investigation.

"It has been decided that an oversight committee will be formed. Names for which will be announced tomorrow. The committee will complete its investigation within four weeks. The wrestlers put forward their demands. I have assured them that appropriate steps will be taken. All allegations of sexual harassment and financial misappropriation will be probed," Thakur said in a press conference on Saturday.

"Till the investigation is over, he (Singh) will step aside and co-operate with the investigation and the oversight committee will run the day-to-day affairs of WFI."

Wrestler Bajrang Punia, who has been a leading figure in the protest, thanked Thakur for his prompt response. "We have received assurances from the respected minister. I thank you. We protested only as a last resort. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has really helped our game," Punia said.

IOA forms probe panel too

Earlier,  the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) formed a seven-member committee to probe wrestlers' allegations of sexual harassment against federation president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Boxing great and Olympic medallist Mary Kom will be the chairman of the panel. Indian Weightlifting Federation of India (IWLF) president Sahdev Yadav, archer Dola Banerjee, Olympic medal winning wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt are part of the panel among others. The committee will also have two lawyers. The panel will first talk with the protesting wrestlers and then the WFI before reaching any conclusion.