Govt panel’s preliminary report silent on allegations against Brij Bhushan, defers Wrestling federation elections amidst protests

The government, which also put on hold the WFI elections scheduled to take place on May 7, has asked the IOA to form an ad-hoc committee to conduct the elections within 45 days of its formation.
These developments took place even as the country’s top wrestlers continued their stir against Brij Bhushan, demanding an FIR be filed against him for allegedly sexually harassing women wrestlers while also approaching the Supreme Court.
While addressing the media on Monday, the protesting wrestlers said, “We haven’t received any threats so far. We can’t take names, but people are asking us questions.”

They added: “We are on the front foot. We are at God’s mercy. But we want to protect young wrestlers. Brij Bhushan is trying to make it a political issue making it an issue between UP and Haryana. We have wrestlers from UP supporting us.”
The government-appointed Oversight Committee (OC), which was appointed in January this year, submitted a report to the Government, which is being studied the sports minry. In its letter to the IOA, the sports minry cited key findings of the committee.

The preliminary report was silent on allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan and cited the absence of an Internal Compliants Committee (ICC) as well as insing on a need for effective communication between the federation and sportspersons.
“The absence of a duly constituted Internal Complaints Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act, 2013, and lack of an adequate mechanism for awareness building among sportspersons, for grievance redressal etc; need for more transparency and consultation between and Federation and stakeholders, including the sportspersons; Need for effective communication between the Federation and Sportspersons,” the report underlined.
Govt declares May 7 elections null and void
The central government has declared the May 7 elections null and void. A transitory or ad-hoc committee of the IOA will be formed to hold WFI elections within 45 days of the formation of the committee. WFI ceases to ex for now. OC findings have revealed that there was no proper ICC committee of the WFI and that there was no adequate mechanism for grievance redressal.
However, Delhi Police on Monday sought a report from the investigation committee set up the Union Sports Minry to investigate the allegations against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and has begun a probe into the fresh complaint wrestlers, a senior officer said on Monday.

“A report has been sought from the probe committee and after that, the investigation can get a direction. Seven players had filed a complaint against the WFI chief. Many facts will come to the fore after getting the report of the committee,” said the Delhi Police official.
After a protest led some prominent wrestlers of the country this January, the Union Minry of Youth Affairs and Sports had announced the formation of an ‘oversight committee’ to probe allegations levelled against the WFI and its chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and other coaches.