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Sexual harassment allegations against WFI chief
Olympian wrestlers ‘floored’ by Centre’s delay tactics
Wrestlers return to protest site, demand release of panel report; the six-member oversight panel, headed by legendary boxer MS Mary Kom, had submitted its report in the first week of April but the government has not yet made it public; DCW issues notice to Delhi Police, seeks FIR details on sexual harassment allegations against WFI president
New Delhi: Country's top wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, returned to protest site Jantar Mantar on Sunday and demanded that the government makes public the findings of the oversight panel that investigated into sexual harassment allegations against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The wrestlers, surrounded by a huge posse of police personnel, also demanded that an FIR be lodged against the WFI boss, who has denied the allegations that first surfaced in January this year when grapplers had staged a 'sit-in' protest and demanded that federation be disbanded. The six-member oversight panel, headed by legendary boxer MS Mary Kom, had submitted its report in the first week of April but the government has not yet made it public.
"How long is it going to take for the (government) committee to submit its report. It's already been three months and we are still waiting to hear from them. Will the report come out after the girls, who have filed complaints, die?," questioned Vinesh, the world championship medallist. "We are tired of asking the government to release the findings. We have filed a complaint at a police station in Connaught Place and want an FIR to be filed against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Most of the wrestlers have excelled in Olympics.
"You people can see who is running the federation despite such serious charges. We only have the power of truth which I suppose is not sufficient," she said, adding, "The least the government can do is to take action on the sexual harassment that has been done. We demand justice. We will continue out protest." During the three-month period since the country's top wrestlers made the allegations, Singh has appeared before the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the government's oversight panel. However, multiple sources have confirmed that the wrestlers couldn't prove the sexual harassment charges against the WFI chief. "We will not budge from Jantar Mantar," said Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, adding "this fight will not stop". The Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to the city police in connection with a complaint of sexual harassment filed by women wrestlers against WFI president Brijbhushan Singh.
