The nation’s protesting prime wrestlers didn’t flip up for a gathering with the sexual harassment committee shaped by the Indian Olympic Affiliation to research their allegations in opposition to the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. After they skipped the primary assembly on Saturday, the wrestlers have been given one closing likelihood to look earlier than the panel on February 11.
It’s learnt that the wrestlers, in a letter to the seven-member IOA panel headed by Athletes Fee chairperson MC Mary Kom, mentioned that since a few of the members are additionally within the Oversight Committee appointed by the Union sports activities ministry, it made little sense to look earlier than two panels conducting related investigations.
The five-member Oversight Committee can be headed by girl boxing stalwart Mary Kom and consists of 2012 London Olympics wrestling bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt. This panel has been tasked to run the day-to-day affairs of the WFI and probe allegations of “sexual misconduct”, monetary impropriety and misgovernance in opposition to WFI officers and a few coaches.
Dutt’s presence in each the committees can be a sore level for the wrestlers, who really feel he had come out in help of WFI president Singh in his media statements.
Nevertheless, Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia, whereas objecting to the Oversight Commitee being constituted with out the protesting wrestlers being consulted, has mentioned they’d no problem with the IOA panel.
Swinging into motion inside hours of the wrestlers submitting a criticism to IOA president PT Usha, IOA referred to as an government committee assembly and shaped the panel as per the Visakha pointers that cope with sexual harassment.
The opposite IOA panel members are Alaknanda Ashok, Sahdev Yadav, Dola Bannerjee, Dutt and advocates Talish Ray and Shlok Chandra.
“The wrestlers have been given one final alternative to current themselves earlier than the panel on February 11 after which the panel will submit its report back to the IOA government committee,” mentioned an official with data of the developments.