IOA sets up committee to probe charges against wrestling chief

Agreeing to one of the key demands of the wrestlers protesting since Wednesday afternoon, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Friday announced the formation of a seven-member committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
This came hours after the core group protesters, World Championship medalls Vinesh Phogat, Deepak Punia and Olympics podium finishers Ravi Dahiya, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, wrote to IOA’s president PT Usha, asking for action against Singh and the federation.

The IOA, in a statement, said that following its executive committee meeting, it was decided to form committee in “accordance with the prevention of sexual harassment of women act of 2013” that would hear both sides and submit report at the earliest. IOA members including Olympians boxer Mary Kom, archer Dola Banerjee and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt were named in the probe panel.
But the IOA, like the Sports Minry, was silent on other demands raised: resignation of Singh and dissolution of WFI.
The wrestlers, for the second successive day, were involved in discussions with Sports Miner Anurag Thakur. Until late in the night, neither side had released any communication about the talks.

The IOA’s announcement assumes significance given that it is the umbrella organisation of all national federations of Olympics sports. The Sports Minry funds the activities of federations and grants them recognition. The IOA and Sports Minry, therefore, work in tandem to facilitate the participation of Indian athletes in multi-discipline sporting events.
While Singh was given 72 hours, until Saturday evening, to respond; he remained firm. Speaking to The Indian Express, he alleged a larger plot. He said he had responded Friday to the notice he had received from the Union Minry.
“I have clarified everything they wanted me to. I have denied all allegations made protesters,” he said. He added that he had called a General Body meeting of the federation in Ayodhya on January 22.
Meanwhile, even as protesting wrestlers upped the ante, officials said their demand for “instant justice” had to be balanced with the Minry’s imperatives of due process.

The two prominent faces of the protest, wrestler Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, dug their heels in and threatened to practice on mats at their protest venue at Jantar Mantar from Saturday if sports miner Anurag Thakur does not accept their demands.
The global body, United World Wrestling, too has reacted to the protest. In an email to The Indian Express, UWW’s communications director Gordon Templeman said:
“UWW has learned with great concern via the media about these serious allegations. We will closely follow the cases and will take any necessary measures that are warranted the outcome of the investigations. We have contacted the federation, as well as made efforts to contact athletes directly to better understand the situation.”
The wrestlers’ letter to the IOA mentions that Vinesh was “mentally harassed” and “tortured” the WFI president after she returned from the Tokyo Olympics without a medal, which resulted in her “contemplate suicide”.
Along with the sexual harassment complaint, the wrestlers blamed WFI of financial misappropriation of funds and claimed that the coaches and sports science staff at the National camp are “absolutely incompetent”.
In their letter, the athletes wrote: “It has taken a lot of courage for us wrestlers to come together and protest against the WFI President. We fear for our lives. If he is not sacked then the careers of all the young who joined the dharna will be over.” They ended the letter saying: “We will not budge until the WFI President is sacked.