1983 Cricket World Cup winning team ‘distressed, disturbed’ on manhandling of wrestlers
1 min read 02 Jun 2023, 03:35 PM ISTIndia's 1983 Cricket World Cup winning team has expressed distress at the police's manhandling of female wrestlers who took out a march against WFI chief Brij Bhushan who is accused of sexual harassment
Premium‘Distressed and disturbed to see wrestlers being manhandled’, is how the 1983 Cricket World Cup winning team reacted to the police action against the protesting wrestlers. The wrestlers are protesting inaction against WFI chief Brij Bhushan who is accused of sexual harassment of female wrestlers. In a statement, India's 1983 champions urged the protesting wrestlers not to take any hasty decision regarding their medals while hoping that players' issues will be “heard and resolved".
On May 28, the Delhi Police had allegedly manhandled and detained the wrestlers when they marched towards the new Parliament building on its inauguration day. The protesting wrestlers then took their protest to Haridwar where they attempted to immerse their medals into the river Ganga. The police also cleared the protest site at Jantar Mantar and made it clear that the wrestlers will not be allowed back. The police action against the wrestlers had invited criticism from different quarters.
“We are distressed and disturbed at the unseemly visuals of our champion wrestlers being manhandled. We are also most concerned that they are thinking of dumping their hard-earned medals into river Ganga," the team said in a statement.
It added: “Those medals have involved years of effort, sacrifice, determination and grit and are not only their own but the nation's pride and joy. We urge them not to take any hasty decision in this matter and also fervently hope that their grievances are heard and resolved quickly. Let the law of the land prevail."
Madan Lal from the World Cup winning squad, said it was heartbreaking to see the wrestlers deciding to throw their medals and urged the Central government to intervene. "Heartbreaking that they decided to throw their medals. We aren't in favour of them throwing their medals because earning medals isn't easy and we urge the Government to sort out this issue as soon as possible," he said.
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