The protesting wrestlers have announced that since the cases against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh are in court and a charge sheet has been submitted, they will keep their fight on, but in court, not in the streets.
In a statement circulated on social media, the protesting wrestlers have stated that the process for the elections for the next WFI president and the executive committee has already started and the polls are scheduled to be held on July 11, they will wait for the implementation of the assurances given by the government.
The wrestlers have stated that their fight will continue until they get justice, but the contest will be in court, legally, not on the streets.
Wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat have announced that they will be away from social media for some days.
With this, the wrestlers’ protest, going on and off for several months, seems to have come to an end.
On June 23, the Indian Olympics Association announced that the six wrestlers, Sakshee Malikh, her husband Satyawart Kadian, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat, her husband Bajrang Punia, and Jitendra Kinha will have to win just one bout against the winners of trials in their respective categories to secure their place in the Indian team. Considering that the said wrestlers have been busy with their protests and have been away from practice, the govt had even postponed their trials to August while others have to appear for trials in July.
Following the trial exemptions announced for the protesting wrestlers, many other wrestlers have called it unfair and spoken against it. Ugly fights and matches of allegations-counter allegations between the wrestlers were witnessed on social media.
“I’m not sure what criteria the IOA committee used to decide on the trials, and that too for these six wrestlers only. Ravi Dahiya is an Olympic silver medalist as well as a CWG gold medalist, Deepak Punia is a CWG gold medalist, Anshu Malik is a World silver medalist, Sonam Malik is also there and many others. I don’t understand why these six wrestlers have been granted an exemption. This is utterly wrong. Even in the old WFI setup, this was not done,” Dutt had said.
The wrestlers’ protest
The wrestlers have been protesting against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest. Female wrestlers have alleged that Singh sexually harassed them. Two FIRs were registered against Singh on the complaint of seven female wrestlers, including one allegedly minor wrestler. Singh was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POCSO Act. However, recently it was reported the minor wrestler withdrew her statement in front of the magistrate and recorded a new one under Section 164 of the CrPC.
On June 15, the Delhi Police submitted the charge sheet on Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh following their investigation on the allegations of sexual harassment of women wrestlers.