Guwahati: The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has requested a quick meeting with the protesting wrestlers who have accused the WFI president and its instructors of sexually harassing female wrestlers and of mismanaging the federation’s operations on Friday.
According to reports, the meeting started at 5.45 in the evening.
The IOA hold a virtual meeting with the wrestlers to go over their grievances and demands, as well as the accusations made by the top grapplers.
Commonwealth Games gold medalist Bajrang Punia pleaded with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to take notice of their requests, claiming they were fighting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The nation’s top wrestlers, including Sakshee Malikkh, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Ravi Dahiya, are taking part in the Wednesday-starting sit-in protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Wrestlers have accused the WFI president and its coaches of sexually harassing female wrestlers and of mismanaging the federation’s operations. They have also requested that the federation be completely restructured.
In a news conference today in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, WFI President Brij Bhushan Saran Singh denied all accusations and said he will reveal the “political plot.”
Anurag Thakur, the Union Sports Minister met with some wrestlers on Thursday. The meeting lasted until early this morning. However, according to reports the meeting remained inconclusive and the minister is likely to meet with grapplers again today at his residence.
Meanwhile, Vinesh, Bajrang, Sakshee, Ravi and Deepak on Friday wrote to PT Usha, president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on the ‘sexual harassment’ complaints against WFI chairman Brij Bhushan Saran Singh.
In a letter to the IOA president, the star grapplers accused the WFI chairman of sexual exploitation and financial irregularities.