Sakshi, Bajrang accuse WFI of using devious means to get suspension lifted
The UWW on Tuesday lifted the provisional suspension on India but directed the national federation to provide written guarantees that there would be no discriminatory action against the protesting trio of Punia, Malik and Vinesh Phogat
PTI
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Punia, Malik and Phogat have been protesting for more than a year, demanding the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing women grapplers
New Delhi, 14 Feb
Olympic medal-winning grapplers
Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia on Wednesday alleged that national federation
chief Sanjay Singh used devious means to get the suspension on WFI lifted by
United World Wrestling (UWW) and threatened to restart their agitation against
the body.
The UWW on Tuesday lifted the
provisional suspension on India but directed the national federation to provide
written guarantees that there would be no discriminatory action against the
protesting trio of Punia, Malik and Vinesh Phogat. The suspension was imposed
by UWW in August last year after the WFI failed to hold elections in time.
Punia, Malik and Phogat have been
protesting for more than a year, demanding the arrest of former WFI chief Brij
Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing women grapplers. "We
came to know yesterday (on Tuesday) that Sanjay Singh had done some setting
with UWW to get the suspension lifted. Brij Bhushan and Sanjay Singh have left
no stone unturned to show that they are above the law," said Sakshi in a
video posted on 'X'.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, when
asked about the latest developments on the sidelines of the Chess Olympiad
Torch hand-off ceremony here, said, "We will let you know what we will
do."
Sakshi stressed that if the BJP
MP's loyalists are allowed to run the affairs of the WFI, the protesting
wrestlers will be left with no choice but to restart the agitation. "Our
protest has only been suspended. I might have retired from wrestling but I not
will tolerate Brij Bhushan or his people running the federation and harassing
women," she asserted. "In the next 2-4 days, we will contact the
people associated with our agitation and chalk out the future course of action.
I urge the government (to ensure) that Brij Bhushan or his group are barred
forever from (running) the federation and some good people are entrusted the
task to do the job. Otherwise, we will have to restart the path of
protest," warned Sakshi.
Punia echoed the sentiment in his
video message on the same platform. "Just 2-3 days back, Brij Bhushan's
son became the president of the UP wrestling body despite him saying saying no
one from his family will come into wrestling administration. The government had
promised that Brij Bhushan or anyone of his relatives or associates will not
govern the sport," Punia said.
Brij Bhushan has stated repeatedly
that he has nothing to do with wrestling after completing his tenure as WFI
president. During the December elections, his loyalist Sanjay Singh was elected
president, but within three days of taking charge, the sports ministry
suspended the WFI for violating its own constitution by announcing the dates of
the age-group nationals at a short notice.
Sakshi also alleged that the Sanjay
Singh-led WFI had misused the federation's funds by conducting parallel
nationals. "The (IOA-constituted) ad-hoc committee conducted the senior
nationals in a very professional manner (in Jaipur earlier this month). We
welcomed that. Brij Bhushan and Sanjay Singh started breaking all the rules by
conducting parallel nationals (in Pune) and threatening the coaches and
referees and misusing the federation's money," she said.
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