The Union sports ministry on Saturday evening directed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) to suspend "all ongoing activities with immediate effect", including cancelling the Ranking Tournament in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda, the stronghold of WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. It also suspended WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar "with immediate effect, to ensure the proper functioning of WFI". Singh is facing allegations of sexual harassment and corruption from some of the country's top wrestlers.
On Friday, sports minister Anurag Thakur announced the formation of an oversight committee to probe the charges levelled by wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Ravi Dahiya, against Sharan and WFI. After assurances from the government, including the temporary sidelining of Singh from the WFI, the wrestlers called off their protest at the national capital's Jantar Mantar.
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However, in its reply to the government's notice, the WFI rejected all the allegations, including sexual harassment against Singh. The WFI alleged that the wrestlers' protest was motivated by a "hidden agenda to dislodge the current management". It asserted that "there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement " in the federation.
Regarding Tomar, the ministry said in a letter, that his presence will be "detrimental to the development of this high-priority discipline". The aggrieved wrestlers had alleged that Tomar took bribes from athletes and was involved in financial corruption, helping him to build property worth crores. According to sources, the ministry will announce the names of its oversight committee members on Sunday.
In a press release, the ministry said it has communicated to the WFI on Saturday that it will suspend all ongoing activities with immediate effect, unless the Oversight Committee is formally appointed and takes over the day to day functioning of WFI. The ministry asked the WFI to return the entry fees charged to participants for the ongoing event in UP's Gonda. The oversight committee of the ministry will have the powers to take all decisions on matters concerning Indian wrestling while also overseeing the day-to-day affairs of the federation.
Before the wrestlers agreed to end their protest, the Indian Olympic Association had on Friday formed a seven-member committee of its own, headed by M C Mary Kom, to investigate the charges against Singh.
The IOA panel was constituted even as the wrestlers' sit-in protest entered the third day.
Besides legendary boxer Mary Kom and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, the panel includes archer Dola Banerjee and Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) president and IOA treasurer Sahdev Yadav. The IOA committee also has two advocates, Talish Ray and Shlok Chandra, besides former shuttler and IOA joint secretary Alaknanda Ashok, who is its vice chairperson. The decision was taken during the IOA's emergency Executive Council meeting, attended by Olympic champion shooter Abhinav Bindra, Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar, along with IOA president PT Usha and joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey.
In its reply, the WFI said it has a five-member sexual harassment committee in place, chaired by its secretary general VN Prasood and which also has Sakshi as a member. "The protesting wrestlers are accountable to explain for themselves, to the public as well as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, particularly when mostly the protestors are seen coming together from a particular region/state of Haryana," the federation wrote.
"It would also be worth drawing attention that even the next election of WFI is due in near future of 2023... that the protest is not in the best interest of the wrestlers, it has some personal as well as hidden agenda to dislodge the current management of WFI," it said.
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