Punia is planning to skip the trials for the World Championships on August 25 and 26 and instead wants to train at a foreign location to prepare for the Asian Games
'Will we face politics even before we go to play for the country because we raised our voice against sexual harassment? Is this the punishment for raising voice against wrong in our country?'
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is gearing up for the senior National camp after almost 15 months with Delhi likely to replace Patiala as the venue because of the ongoing farmers' protest.
The wrestlers have been protesting for nearly a week demanding action against Singh, also a Bharatiya Janata Party MP, on sexual harassment allegations levelled by seven women players.
The suspension means that Bajrang Punia will not be able to return to competitive wrestling and apply for a coaching job abroad
Following their meeting with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, the protesting wrestlers have agreed to suspend their protest for a week.
He also said Shastri should share his views on the fight and struggle of the women wrestlers who are seeking justice against a Lok Sabha member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan. Brij Bhushan has been accused of sexual harassment of several women wrestlers.
With the Delhi high court on Tuesday directing Wrestling Federation of India to hold a meeting with Sushil Kumar, the decorated grappler's hopes of competing at the Olympics seems almost over as the Federation is not keen on conducting a trial in the contentious men's 74kg category.
The WFI said it has no issues in obeying the IOA order since they were already co-operating with the authorities.
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.
When asked about the claims that the minor who was among the grapplers who had accusing WFI chief Bhushan of sexual harassment had taken back her complaint, Malik said, 'This is all fake news to discredit our protest in the eyes of the public and to make us lose public support.'
A fresh date for Wresting Federation of India's (WFI) long-pending elections is likely to be announced on Wednesday after the Supreme Court set aside the stay imposed by Punjab and Haryana High Court, a member of the IOA-appointed ad hoc committee said.
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.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra also attributed the former sportswoman's stand to her Rajya Sabha seat.
'This fight is not just theirs -- it is for all women in our country.'
"Take it (medals) all away. We have been humiliated so much. We are fighting for our respect but we are being crushing under their feet. Do all men have the right to abuse women?"
Vinesh claimed that twice in the past sexual harassment cases were reported during the national camp but the WFI succeeded in sweeping the matter under the carpet.
The following is the timeline of the chain of events that led to the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India by UWW, the sport's global governing body.
'When a BJP MP was accused of harassment and molestation by our champion wrestlers, we did not hear one word out of the women and child development minister'
The suspended WFI, despite being warned of legal action by the Sports Ministry for organising the 'nationals', went ahead with the tournament in Pune from January 29-31.
Babita, a former wrestler, arrived at the protest site and heard the demands of the grapplers.
Bajrang skips Worlds trials in Patiala, set to leave for Kyrgyzstan to prepare for Asian Games
Vinesh's appeal against her disqualification was also rejected by the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Demand disbanding of WFI
On speculation that Phogat might enter the political arena, Singh refused to comment saying it was a personal matter of the 30-year-old wrestler. He said he would extend full support to Phogat if she returns to competitive wrestling.
In the months of May, June and July, state and district level conventions of the SKM shall be held in every state/UT to galvanise and organise farmers and farm workers, it said.
Yogeshwar asked all the wrestlers to approach IOA and lodge their protest against such unfair decision.
Wrestlers narrate instances of sexual favours demand, sexual harassment, inappropriate touching
'Congratulations MS Dhoniji and CSK. We are happy that at least some sportspersons are getting respect and love they deserve. For us, the fight for justice is still on,' Sakshi said in her tweet, which received more than 50,000 likes and nearly 10,000 retweets in 12 hours.
Vinesh Phogat locked Paris Olympics quota in the women's 50kg category, reaching the final at the Asian Olympic Qualifier without conceding a single point.
India will go unrepresented in five categories at the upcoming Zagreb Open in Croatia as Bajrang Punia, Antim Panghal and three others didn't give consent for their selection to the ad-hoc panel that announced a 13-member team on Tuesday.
'We will appear in the trials only if the ad-hoc panel or the government conducts it. How can a suspended body announce the trials.'
A Lucknow bench of justices Ramesh Sinha and Saroj Yadav passed the order on the appeal by two Ayodhya residents -- Haji Mahmood Ahmad and Syed Akhlaq Ahmad.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra expressed solidarity with protesting wrestlers after meeting them at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday and accused the government of 'protecting' WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment levelled by women grapplers.
Protesting wrestlers joined several of their colleagues to prepare for the Asian Games trials.
The IOC has condemned the manner in which the protesting Indian wrestlers were being treated by Delhi Police.
The world body said it has been keeping an eye on the protest by the wrestlers against WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The WFI will resume national camp from March 27, after after almost 16 months with Sonepat and Gandhinagar in Gujarat to be the likely venues for men and women respectively.
The Allahabad high court on Monday deferred till October 31 the hearing of an appeal challenging the acquittal of all 32 accused, including former deputy prime minister LK Advani and the then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Kalyan Singh, in the Babri mosque demolition case.
IOA plans to hold WFI elections on July 4, appoints Retd. Justice Mahesh Mittal as returning officer
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