In a recent twist to the wrestling controversy, the protesting wrestlers on Tuesday rejected the five-member oversight committee introduced by the union sports activities ministry to probe their allegations of sexual harassment and monetary impropriety towards the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, claiming that the federal government didn’t maintain its phrase.
“We have been assured that we’d be consulted earlier than the oversight committee was fashioned. It is vitally unhappy that we weren’t even consulted earlier than the formation this committee,” learn an identical tweets put out by Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, and two-time world championships medallist Vinesh Phogat, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union house minister Amit Shah and union sports activities minister Anurag Thakur.
The committee introduced by Thakur on Monday is headed by Olympic medallist and six-time world boxing champion MC Mary Kom. The opposite members are Olympic medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, former badminton participant and Mission Olympic Cell member Trupti Murgunde, ex-Goal Olympic Podium Scheme CEO Rajesh Rajagopalan and retired SAI Government Director (Groups) Radhica Sreeman.
The panel will go into allegations of “sexual misconduct, harassment and/or intimidation, monetary irregularities and administrative lapses, levelled by the distinguished sportspersons,” the ministry order says. The panel has been requested to finish the inquiry by 4 weeks and in addition take over the day-to-day administration of WFI until the probe is accomplished.
It was learnt that the committee had its first assembly on Tuesday and in addition cleared the Indian group for the Worldwide Rating Event beginning in Croatia on February 1.
Thakur had two lengthy conferences with the wrestlers earlier than saying the inquiry. Following that, the wrestlers known as off their three-day protest on Saturday evening.
“We made it very clear throughout our assembly that our views ought to be taken earlier than the committee is fashioned. It’s a very, very critical matter and we wish a good and neutral probe,” Punia mentioned on Tuesday.
“We have been advised by the ministry to have a dialogue on the names we wish to recommend and that we’d be consulted. However that by no means occurred,” he mentioned.
Requested whether or not they have objections to any of the committee members, Punia mentioned, “No, we don’t have objection to any specific member. However we really feel our solutions ought to have been taken. Or else, how can we ensure that the probe shall be honest?
“You may perceive the particular person we’re up towards. He’s very highly effective and everybody knew the sort of issues he was concerned in; nonetheless he’s the WFI president. It has taken lot of braveness on the a part of wrestlers to return ahead and protest towards his rule.”
Punia mentioned they need the ministry to reconstitute the committee. “We aren’t going to look earlier than this panel. It must be reconstituted. If want be, we shall be again for sit-in protest after 15 days.”
He, nonetheless, mentioned the protesting wrestlers haven’t any objection to the seven-member panel named by the Indian Olympic Affiliation (IOA). It is usually headed by Mary Kom, the Athletes Fee chairman. Dutt can also be a member of each the panels.
“We don’t have my objection to the IOA committee as a result of it’s an inside committee of the IOA and it’ll have its members. The sports activities ministry panel will look into each side of the allegations,” mentioned the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist.
Of their letter to IOA president PT Usha, the wrestlers had requested for the formation of a brand new committee to run WFI in session with them.
Whereas there was no official assertion from the sports activities ministry on the problem, officers within the know mentioned two of the members, together with Mary Kom, have been the selection of the wrestlers.
The highest wrestlers staged an unprecedented three-day protest at Jantar Mantar, calling for the speedy removing of Singh.
The oversight committee held its first assembly on Tuesday and took over the WFI’s functioning. The federation’s government physique was directed by the ministry on Monday to abstain with speedy impact from administering and managing the day-to-day actions.
Mary Kom’s committee cleared the Indian squad for participation in Croatia in order that their visas could be organized. Punia, Vinesh, Sakshi, Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Ravi Dahiya and world championships medallist Deepak Punia are a part of the group however have mentioned they received’t compete in any match till the problem is resolved to their satisfaction.