India
oi-Prakash KL
United World Wrestling (UWW) on Tuesday slammed the detention and the treatment given to the protesting wrestlers, who have been demanding the arrest of former Wrestling Federation Of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations.
It has threatened to ban the WFI if it fails to hold the elective general assembly on time.
“The events of these last days are even more worrying that the wrestlers were arrested and temporarily detained by the police for initiating a march of protest. The site where they had been protesting for more than a month has also been cleared out by the authorities. UWW firmly condemns the treatment and detention of the wrestlers. It expresses its disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations so far,” the UWW said in a statement.
The UWW has also urged the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the sexual harassment allegations.
It further sought information about the next elective general assembly from the IOA and the Ad-hoc Committee of the WFI. “The 45-day deadline that was initially set to hold this elective assembly shall be respected. Failing to do so may lead UWW to suspend the federation, thereby forcing the athletes to compete under a neutral flag. It is reminded that UWW already took a measure in this situation by reallocating the Asian Championship planned in New Delhi earlier this year.”
The second round of protests by the wrestlers started on April 23 as seven women players levelled sexual harassment allegations against him.
On Sunday, the grapplers were allegedly manhandled by Delhi police when they were trying to march towards the new Parliament complex to hold a women’s panchayat as part of their ongoing protest against the BJP MP. The makeshift protest site was also cleared by the cops.
On the other hand, the wrestlers, who had announced that they would immerse their medals due to the government’s inaction against the BJP MP, have given a 5-day deadline to the Centre to take action against the federation chief.
The plan went for changes after Bhartiya Kisan Union (Tikait) leader Rakesh Tikait’s intervention.
Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, responding to the wrestlers’ protest, said that he cannot do anything as the Delhi Police is conducting the probe.
“Let the probe happen, it is in the hands of Delhi Police. If found wrong, then arresting will also take place,” he told the reporters.
