'The Sports Minister (Anurag Thakur) should speak out. The Prime Minister should speak out, there should be resignations, and heads should roll immediately.'
Protesting wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, were detained by Delhi Police on Sunday after they breached the security cordon while trying to move towards the new Parliament building, where a women's Mahapanchayat was planned for the day.
By conducting the initial trials, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will be able to send wrestlers' names to Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) within the July 15 deadline but it can later replace the entries if protesting wrestlers end up beating the winners of the initial trials.
Repechage gives losing wrestlers from the pre-quarterfinal round onwards a shot at the bronze medal if the winning grappler makes it to the title round.
Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Monday clarified that no petition has been filed by him or by any person authorized by him in the Delhi High Court against the wrestlers who protested against him in New Delhi last week.
Bajrang Punia said they were ready to sacrifice medals as delivering justice to the victims would be their biggest medal.
Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal raised a question on Friday as to why the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has not been asked to resign, in the wake allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by female wrestlers.
'We are confident, we will win the fight for justice.'
The Congress demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi answer what action he took against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh when issues were allegedly flagged to him by a wrestler in 2021.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur reiterated the government's commitment to an 'impartial probe' into the charges against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Brij Bhushan's comments came soon after his meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda following Sports Ministry's suspension of the WFI till further orders.
Facing the wrestling fraternity's wrath for accepting exemption from the Asian Games trials, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Monday said they are hurt that young wresters dragged them to the court.
Celebrated Indian grappler Yogeshwar Dutt neither praised nor criticised the new selection policy of the IOA-constituted ad-hoc panel for wrestling, which states that Olympic quota winners will have to compete against a challenger to book a ticket to the Paris Games.
The wrestlers had said that they were halting their protest only temporarily and their movement will continue till Singh, who is also a BJP MP, is arrested.
Indian wrestlers return with six medals
'We request the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to get justice delivered as soon as possible because we as well as the nation are at a loss while we keep sitting here for the protest.'
'Resigning as president of Wrestling Federation of India is not a big deal for me, but I will not resign as a criminal.'
The family members of outgoing WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will not contest the upcoming federation elections despite eligibility, reliable sources told PTI on Tuesday.
The protesting wrestlers will not face any sort of vendetta politics and they will get the required support from the new federation, outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said on Thursday after the panel backed by him emerged victorious in the keenly-followed elections.
A parliamentary committee report on empowerment of women from February 2019 noted that the number of cases 'could be higher as many times cases against coaches also might have gone unreported/not complained against.'
Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Risako Kawai came out in support of the protesting Indian wrestlers.
The protesting wrestlers on Friday reached out to Indian Olympic Association (IOA), demanding formation of an inquiry committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment they have levelled against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The coaches and parents of several established and upcoming wrestlers on Friday demanded withdrawal of exemption granted to Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia.
'Today we have decided to go to Connaught Place and speak to the people there and seek their support in our fight for justice. We have set May 21 as the deadline (for action against Brij Bhushan). If no decision is taken, then we will take a big call on our agitation after that date.'
Several women wrestlers wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the IOA and the ad-hoc panel running the WFI, requesting "fair trials" for Asian Games.
The trials for the wrestling World Championships will be held on August 25-26 in Patiala, the ad-hoc panel announced on Monday, ending weeks of uncertainty around the selection competition.
The seven women wrestlers on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking permission to file an affidavit in sealed cover.
The much-delayed elections of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) will be conducted on August 12.
Indicating that things were far from ideal in the ad-hoc panel, Singh said Bajwa wants to take all the decisions by himself, giving a feeling that the previous WFI setup was still in place.
Azad, who had joined the protesting wrestlers at the Jantar Mantar on Monday evening but was asked to leave the venue at night by the authorities, returned to the site on Tuesday with his followers.
Here are some of the controversies, which cast a shadow on Indian sport as the athletes prepared for the Asian Games.
The on-duty police personnel began enquiring about the sleeping materials as rules do not permit bringing in such things at the protest site.
Last month, the NADA issued a notice on multiple World Championships medallist and Asian Championships gold winner Vinesh Phogat for whereabouts failure for the first time in 12 months. Vinesh has been a part of the RTP since December 2022.
The IOC has condemned the manner in which the protesting Indian wrestlers were being treated by Delhi Police.
'Scuffle' between wrestlers protesting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, police personnel
Kadian, who competes in heavy-weight category, reiterated that their fight is against the WFI chief and not against the government.
The government had assured the protesting wrestlers that a charge-sheet will be filed against the outgoing WFI chief
The reigning U23 Asian champion Sujeet Kalkal slammed the IOA ad-hoc committee for granting direct entry to Bajrang Punia for the Asian Games.
Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra lent his support to the wrestlers who have been protesting against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia asserted that none of the protesting wrestlers have backed down.
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