NEW DELHI, Jan 22 (NNN-PTI) – India’s federal sports minister, Anurag Thakur, yesterday announced that, Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president, Brijbhushan Sharan Singh will step aside from his position, until the completion of the probe into allegations of sexual harassment and misappropriation of funds.
Thakur made the announcement during a press conference, after several hours of meeting with protesting wrestlers.
“It has been decided that an oversight committee will be formed, and names for it will be announced tomorrow (today). The committee will complete its investigation within four weeks. It will thoroughly probe all the allegations, be it financial or sexual harassment, that have been levelled against the WFI and its chief,” Thakur said at the news conference.
“Until the investigation is over, he (Singh) will step aside and cooperate with the investigation and the oversight committee will run the day-to-day affairs of the WFI.”
With the announcement, the wrestlers called off their protest against alleged sexual harassment and misappropriation of funds.
Olympic medalist, Bajrang Punia, who was at the forefront of the protest, said, the minister has assured, he is with the wrestlers at every step.
“We are hopeful that the committee will probe the matter in a neutral way,” Punia said. “The minister has promised protection to all the protesting athletes, and Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has also supported the athletes.”
The Indian Olympic Association has also announced a seven-member panel, to investigate the allegations against Singh. The panel has athletes, Mary Kom, Dola Banerjee, Alaknanda Ashok, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sahdev Yadav as members.
The Indian wrestlers, including some top ones, began their protest against the WFI chief, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, on Wednesday.
The protest demonstration intensified after World Championships medalist, Vinesh Phogat accused Singh and other coaches of sexually harassing women wrestlers for years.
Phogat has alleged that at least 10 women wrestlers confessed to her that they were sexually exploited by Singh.
Singh, however, denied the allegations during a press briefing on Wednesday evening and said, he was ready for an investigation. He was reluctant to step aside.
Singh has been at the helm of the WFI since 2011. He was elected president of the WFI for the third consecutive time in Feb, 2019, reports said.– NNN-PTI
