In a serious win for wrestlers demanding the resignation of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations, Union sports activities minister Anurag Thakur introduced on Friday evening that Singh has been requested to step apart and will likely be probed by an oversight committee, which could have 4 weeks to finish the inquiry.
Thakur’s announcement that the WFI chief will step apart got here after second spherical of talks between the minister and wrestlers, who determined to name off their protest, which started on Wednesday and was happening at Jantar Mantar within the nationwide capital.
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“The names for the oversight committee will likely be introduced tomorrow. Additionally, until the completion of the inquiry, the panel will take care of the day-to-day actions of WFI,” stated Thakur.
Welcoming the announcement, 2020 Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, who attended the assembly together with fellow wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya, stated, “The union sports activities minister listened to our calls for and has assured us {that a} correct investigation will likely be achieved. I thank him and we’re hopeful {that a} honest probe will likely be achieved, therefore we’re calling off the protest.”
The breakthrough got here after the primary spherical of talks between Thakur and the wrestlers, which came about at his residence on Thursday evening and went on until 2 am on Friday, remained inconclusive. It additionally got here on a day when the Indian Olympic Affiliation (IOA) arrange a 7-member panel to analyze the costs in opposition to Singh.
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Singh, then again, was to carry a press convention on the problem. The briefing, nevertheless, was postponed twice, and at last deferred to January 22, when the Wrestling Federation will maintain its Annual Normal Assembly (AGM) in Ayodhya. The 66-year-old, who has been the physique’s president since 2011, had repeatedly refused to resign and alleged there was a conspiracy in opposition to him.