WFI Chief To Step Aside Till Panel Investigates Issue, Says Thakur; Wrestlers End Protest | 10 Points

Wrestlers vs WFI: Indian wrestlers called off their protest late on Friday evening after a second meeting at the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur’s residence in the national capital. The meeting lasted beyond midnight, following which wrestler Bajrang Punia announced to the media that the other wrestlers are calling off the protest after assurance of action from Thakur against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said an oversight committee, whose members will be announced Saturday morning, will  investigate the allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and present a report within four weeks.

This panel will also take control of WFI till the probe is complete and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will step aside and cooperate in the investigation, Thakur said at the midnight press conference.

The wrestlers have been staging a protest since Wednesday, accusing WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment of women wrestlers, sponsorship fund embezzlement, and athletes’ mismanagement.

Wrestlers Protest against WFI | key developments

1. The meeting at the Sports Minister’s residence lasted for more than five hours after the wrestlers — Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya, Deepak Punia, and others — reached at 7 p.m.
2. Thakur said that his Ministry have listened to the grievances of the wrestlers and steps will be taken accordingly, while adding that demands of the wrestlers will be taken care of.
3. He assured that an unbiased probe will be carried by the oversight committee on all the accusations levelled against the WFI and its President with the latter stepping aside from his post.
4. The committee will investigate all the serious allegations, including sexual harassment and financial irregularities. It will be investigated properly and the committee will take further decisions,” Thakur added.
5. The committee will also look into the daily affairs of the federation and the WFI President will step aside till the probe goes on. He will also cooperate in the investigation.
6. Bajrang Punia also added that Thakur has also ensured safety to the wrestlers as he hoped that the committee will conclude its investigation in a month’s time.
7. Earlier WFI chief has denied the allegations and refused to resign. “If I speak, there will be a tsunami…I am not here because of someone’s charity. I have been elected by the people,” he told reporters in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda.
8. Ahead of the meeting on Friday night, the wrestlers had sent a letter to PT Usha, the head of the Indian Olympic body, seeking action against the WFI boss.
9. Sahdev Yadav, Indian Weightlifting Federation President and member of the 7-member Committee former by IOA, said the committee will do an unbiased investigation after looking at the charges and try to give a fair justice.
10. The members of the committe are Mary Kom, Dola Banerjee, Alaknanda Ashok, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sahdev Yadav and two advocates.