New Delhi: The Ministry of Sports has directed the Indian Wrestling Federation to respond within 72 hours to the women wrestlers protesting against the head coaches of the Indian Wrestling Federation.
In this regard, the letter sent to the wrestling federation said, “The Ministry is taking this matter seriously as it is in the interest of the sportspersons. If they fail to respond within 72 hours, the Ministry will initiate action against the Wrestling Federation of India as per the National Sports Rules, 2011.”
Also, on 18th January at the Sports Commission’s National Center of Excellence, Lucknow (National Center of Excellence) The training camp which was supposed to start with 41 wrestlers, 13 coaches and support staff has been cancelled.
The Director of NCOE Center has been instructed to provide necessary facilities to the National Champions who have already come to Lucknow to participate in this training and the upcoming National Champions till they leave the training centre. Information has been sent to all the champions about the cancellation of the national level training camp.
Earlier, famous wrestler Vinesh Phogat said, “Wrestling Federation of India needs coaches to sexually harass female wrestlers and misbehave with them. And after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics debacle, WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh sexually harassed women. He called himself “Kota Sikka”. He also alleged that he called
Following this, female wrestlers took part in a sit-in protest against the Indian Wrestling Federation in the Jandar Mandir area of Delhi. Speaking then, Bogut said, “Coaches sexually harassed female players. The coaches asked by the federation also misbehaved with some female coaches. The coaches and the president of the federation sexually harassed many girls.”
The protesting female wrestlers also accused the Indian Wrestling Federation of interfering in their personal lives and degrading them.
A wrestler said, “When we went to the Olympics, we didn’t have a physio or a trainer. We are constantly being threatened for raising our voice against this,” he said.
Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia said, “The players want the management of the federation to be removed and new ones appointed.
