Hours after top Indian Wrestlers called off their protests, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) finally submitted their response to the Sports Ministry over the accusations. The WFI have denied all accusations and stated that it is an attempt to hurt the prestige of the federations and sitting president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and stated that the athletes have vested interests.
“The manner and method of protestors/wrestlers to air their allegation by sitting at Dharna and also dong Press Conference certainly is part of deeper and larger conspiracy for vested interest either by putting pressure on some weak wrestlers for vested interest or for gaining ground for themselves by maligning and defaming the management of WFI or its President or the Coaches and not otherwise,” said WFI’s reply.
“Not any single allegation of sexual harassment is accepted nor has ever been noticed nor found nor so far complained nor reported to sexual harassment committee to WFI, hence allegations to that effect is equally malicious and unfounded without being any truth in the matter except to come to public through media for making soft target to the prestige of the present management of the WFI as well as the sitting President of WFI,” they further stated.
India’s top wrestlers including olympic medalist Saakhi Malik and Bajrang Punia alongside multiple Commonwealth Games gold medalist Vinesh Phogot led the protests. Many Indian wrestlers gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to protest against WFI pointing out many errors in how the federation is run while accusing Brij Bhushan Singh of sexual assault on female wrestlers.
The protests were called off late on Friday night after a long meeting between the Wrestlers and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who reassured them of action being taken. The Wrestlers have not just called for the WFI president to resign but the entire body be dissolved.
