March 14, 2025 03:40 am (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
In a setback for Donald Trump, US judge orders federal agencies to rehire fired workers: Report | 'We will thwart conspiracies hatched by Centre': Revanth Reddy on delimitation exercise | Chennai doctor, his wife along with two sons die by suicide due to huge debt: Cops | Amid language debate, Tamil Nadu drops rupee symbol in state budget | Scientist killed in assault by neighbour over parking argument in Mohali | British woman tourist raped in Delhi hotel by man she befriended on social media | Gold smuggling case: Court restrains media from publishing, telecasting defamatory statements against Ranya Rao | Trump warns Putin of 'devastating' financial impacts if Russia blocks Ukraine ceasefire | 'People are going to Russia right now as we speak: Donald Trump on Ukraine war ceasefire talks | Pakistani army claims to have freed all hostages in passenger train siege; 28 personnel killed
Wrestlers' protest
Image Credit: Screengrab from ANI video

Anurag Thakur meets protesting wrestlers again, panel formed to probe sexual harassment charges

| @indiablooms | Jan 21, 2023, at 03:02 am

New Delhi/IBNS: After the first round of talks failed to reach a breakthrough, Indian wrestlers protesting sexual harassment allegations against the federation chief and some national coaches met with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday for the second time.

Following the meeting, the Indian Olympic Association (IOC) announced a seven-member panel will probe the charges against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after an emergency meeting late in the evening.

The panel will comprise noted athletes Mary Kom, Dola Banerjee, Alaknanda Ashok, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sahdev Yadav.

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has denied all charges and refused to step down.

"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.

Anurag Thakur, who dialled Singh and cautioned him against making any statement to the media, had met the protesting wrestlers for four hours on Wednesday, between 10 pm and 2 am.

Ahead of the second meeting, the wrestlers sent a letter to the head of the Indian Olympic body, PT Usha, seeking action against Singh.

"Vinesh Phogat was mentally harassed and tortured by the WFI chief after she missed out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo. She almost contemplated suicide," the wrestlers wrote in their letter to Usha, as reported in the media. adding that "they fear for their lives".

Vinesh Phogat has agreed to reveal the identity of the victims to the Indian Olympic Association committee.

The massive Jantar Mantar protest is being headed by celebrated Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik besides Vinesh Phogat and others.

They are staging a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar for the last two days against the WFI president, accusing him of sexual exploitation and intimidation and have demanded that the federation be disbanded.

On Wednesday, the Centre made it clear that if the WFI does not respond in the next three days, the sports ministry "will proceed to initiate action against the federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011."

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.