Wrestlers Protest: The protesting wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat have said that the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) decision to take charge of all the activities of the Wrestling Federation of India is the “first step” in their fight against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former WFI chief. Follow Wrestlers vs WFI Live Updates with InsideSport.IN
The IOA, through its letter on May 12, asked the secretary general of WFI to hand over the official documents including financial instruments to its ad-hoc panel, making it clear the outgoing office bearers shall have no role in the running of the federation.
Wrestlers Protest LIVE: IOA orders WFI to surrender full control to Ad-Hoc Committee – Follow LIVE Updates
The WFI said it has no issues in obeying the IOA order since they were already co-operating with the authorities.
“This (the dissolution of the current WFI) is the first step in our fight for justice. Our fight has begun in right earnest, it’s a victory for us… and we will continue or fight until we get justice,” said Bajrang, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist.
Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat rued that not a single ruling party’s parliamentarian had met the wrestlers “to extend support in our fight for the dignity of women”.
She said that from Monday onwards the wrestlers will give letters by hand or via e-mail to all women parliamentarians of the ruling party to come and support them.
“When they talk about the safety of women in the country, then we too are their daughters and they should come out and support us,” she said.
The IOA’s three-member ad-hoc committee has made it clear that the process to elect new WFI office bearers will be completed within the 45-day time frame and that the charge will be handed back to the elected body.
“Once the elections will be held, the administrative powers will go back to the WFI. The newly elected officials will run the show. It’s just a temporary move that ad-hoc is managing the affairs of the federation,” an official told PTI.
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