With some top wrestlers alleging sexual harassment against the president of the Wrestling Federation of India, the Sports Ministry of India stepped in and demanded a response from WFI.
"Taking a cognizance of the protest staged by wrestlers, including Olympic and CWG medalists in Delhi...in which wrestlers have levelled serious charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the President and coaches of the WFI and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation, the Sports Ministry has sought an explanation from WFI and directed it to furnish a reply within the next 72 hours on the allegations made," read a press statement issued by the Sports Ministry.
Since the matter pertains to the well-being of athletes, the Ministry has taken a very serious view of the matter, stated the Ministry.
The Ministry also said that if WFI fails to provide a reply within the given time, they will proceed to initiate action against the federation in accordance with the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011.
Meanwhile, the national wrestling camp scheduled to begin on January 18 got cancelled.
"The Women National Wrestling Coaching camp, which is due to start in Sports Authority of India's National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Lucknow from January 18, 2023, with 41 wrestlers and 13 coaches and support staff, has been cancelled. The Executive Director of NCOE Lucknow has been directed to provide all facilities to national campers who have already reported and are likely to report, till the campers depart from the centre. Necessary information regarding the cancellation of the National Coaching Camp has also been sent to all campers," read the statement.
Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat had alleged that the WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has sexually assaulted female wrestlers. He also said that WFI has been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for many years and sought the intervention of the Prime Minister and Home Minister in the matter.
Phogat has also claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have exploited women wrestlers.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal on Wednesday said that it was unfortunate and demanded an FIR be filed against the WFI president.
Meanwhile, Singh refuted the allegations against him. He had said that no player can bring those charges against him and some wrestlers were forced to sit on dharna.
"A few days ago, the wrestling body in Haryana was changed and an elected body came up. Some people formed a local federation under Sports minister and wrestler Babita Phogat and they wanted their selected candidates to be chosen for national tournaments. Sports Ministry had rejected it," WFI president Singh was quoted by ANI.
