From bitter fights to dope shame, Indian Olympic team's tryst with controversies
Wrestlers' protest take political colour, farmer leaders also support athletes
The IOA appointed ad-hoc committee has decided to conduct the Asian Games wrestling trials behind closed doors after parents of some of the wrestlers got into a heated argument with panel members at the IG Stadium on Friday.
Sangeeta Phogat, one of the six wrestlers who protested against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh at Jantar Mantar, on Saturday won a bronze medal in the non-Olympic 59kg category.
Wrestlers have the opportunity to win more quota places at the Asian qualifiers and World Qualifiers this year.
Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Aman Sehrawat, along with former world championship bronze-winner Geeta Phogat, on Monday announced that they would soon launch a Wrestling Champions Super League (WCSL)
Shoving and pushing ensued between the wrestlers and the police officers.
'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.'
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.
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
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 trials were initially planned for February 27-29 but got postponed
Following their meeting with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, the protesting wrestlers have agreed to suspend their protest for a week.
'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.
A chunk of athletes, including Asian Games medallist Kiran and badminton player Krishna Prasad Garaga have been suspended by NADA
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.
The WFI said it has no issues in obeying the IOA order since they were already co-operating with the authorities.
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.
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.
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.'
The suspension means that Bajrang Punia will not be able to return to competitive wrestling and apply for a coaching job abroad
"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.
'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 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.
Babita, a former wrestler, arrived at the protest site and heard the demands of the grapplers.
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.
Demand disbanding of WFI
Bajrang skips Worlds trials in Patiala, set to leave for Kyrgyzstan to prepare for Asian Games
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.
Wrestlers narrate instances of sexual favours demand, sexual harassment, inappropriate touching
Yogeshwar asked all the wrestlers to approach IOA and lodge their protest against such unfair decision.
'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's appeal against her disqualification was also rejected by the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
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.
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.
