Sexual harassment case: Wrestlers’ protest on streets indiscipline, tarnishing India’s image, says PT Usha

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha came down heavily on the wrestlers who have resumed their protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan accusing him of sexual harassment. In a statement, PT Usha said the wrestlers' protest on the streets is “tarnishing” India's image. PT Usha said the protest by the elite wrestlers equates to “indiscipline”.

“Wrestlers staging protest on streets amounts to indiscipline. Wrestlers' protest on streets is tarnishing image of India,” PT Usha said after IOA's Executive Committee meeting.

‘Wrestlers should have some discipline’: PT Usha

“IOA has a committee for sexual harassment, instead of going to the streets they (protesting wrestlers) could have come to us earlier but they did not come to IOA. It is not good for sports not only for wrestlers, they should also have some discipline,” she said.

Star wrestlers, including World Championships medal winner Vinesh Phogat, and Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, have renewed their indefinite protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. They have accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has established an adhoc panel comprising three members to manage the affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) until a new governing body is elected.

The panel includes former shooter Suma Shirur, Bhupendra Singh Bajwa who is the chief of the Wushu Association of India, and will be led by a retired high court judge whose name has not yet been disclosed.

The IOA and the government had managed to placate the wrestlers with assurances to probe their allegations against Sharan and the WFI after the protest first broke out in January.

Meanwhile, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has said that the Central government gave ample chance to the protesting wrestlers to present their case before the oversight committee, and reiterated its commitment to an "impartial probe" into the charges against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

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“A few wrestlers are sitting in protest at Jantar Mantar. I have spent 12 hours with them -- seven hours on the first day and five hours the next day. I had listened to all their grievances, held a press conference at 2-2.30 at night, formed a committee after talking to them,” Anurag Thakur said.

"They had asked to add a member and gave Babita Phogat's name and we added her to the committee. There is nothing in our mind, we wanted an impartial probe," he added.

The athletes including ace wrestler Bajrang Punia have, however, alleged that nothing had been done so far to resolve their issues. “We have just one issue. The reason for the protest is that nothing has been done so far...We are here to save wrestling," said wrestler Bajrang Punia.