'Thankfully, now nationals will be held. All that the wrestlers need is competition. We are not from any party. We just want the betterment of our sport.'
Wrestler Aman Sehrawat added to India's medal tally at the Olympics, winning the bronze in the men's 57kg Freestyle in Paris on Friday. He defeated Puerto Rico's Darian Cruz 13-5.
The disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat in the Olympics after being found overweight before the final bout also saw the government and Opposition come to blows in Parliament.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 13, Thursday, August 8.
With Vinesh Phogat's heartbreaking disqualification over discrepancies in weight at the Paris Olympics just when India was keeping its fingers crossed for a sure shot victory at the finals, spirits have hit an all-time low. Art mirrors life and it won't be a surprise if our sports biopic obsessed film-makers turn this dramatic change of events into a movie one day.
'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.'
Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik on Thursday said she never demanded any exemption from Asian Games trials despite the IOA ad-hoc panel offering to consider her case.
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.
From wrestlers' protest to WFI elections: Timeline
Bajrang Punia along with the protesting wrestlers are stepping up their efforts to gather support in their fight against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan.
The International Olympic Committee should investigate India's wrestling federation and bolster its tools to report cases of sexual harassment, the Sport and Rights Alliance (SRA) said
Sakshi along with two-time World Championships bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat and Tokyo Olympics bronze winner Bajrang Punia spearheaded the protest against Singh at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding his arrest for intimidating and allegedly sexually harassing female grapplers of the country.
Vinesh Phogat wondered if the country's daughters would get justice in this "atmosphere of fear and intimation".
'We are confident, we will win the fight for justice.'
The protesting wrestlers said late on Saturday evening that there was a lot of "pressure" to call off the Mahila Mahapanchayat they have planned in front of the new Parliament building.
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.
Police press charges for 'rioting' against protesting wrestlers
IOA ad-hoc committee panel members Ashok Garg and Gian Singh favoured a two-stage trial to pick the Indian wrestling squad for the Asian Games and did not recommend exemption to any wrestler, it has come to light.
Bajrang Punia has been handed a provisional suspension for refusing to give his sample for dope test during the recent trials.
India's woman wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat fell by the wayside at the Rio Olympics on Wednesday. Malik was beaten in the 58kg quarter-finals while Phogat was stretchered off after suffering a knee dislocation during her 48 kg bout at the same stage.
A land-owning class, the Jats are a powerful community and account for 28 per cent of Haryana's population. The time, they believe, has now come for them to take revenge.
Top wrestlers have been staging a sit-in since April 23 and Vinesh Phogat said if Brij Bhushan attends the inauguration of the new Parliament then it'll send a clear message.
Bucking anti-incumbency, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party pulled off a hat-trick of wins in Haryana to retain power and halt Congress' comeback attempt in the assembly elections, results of which were announced on Tuesday.
Bajrang Punia, Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik and her wrestler husband Satyawart Kadiyan, arrived at the minister's house for the meeting on Wednesday morning.
Vinesh Phogat was locked in a war of words with cousin Babita, with the former requesting the latter not to weaken their movement.
The WFI said it has no issues in obeying the IOA order since they were already co-operating with the authorities.
We did not ask for exemption from trials, just asked for time to prepare: Wrestlers
Wrestlers express disappointment with PT Usha's comments.
The Congress on Thursday said the country will give a befitting reply to the tears of the wrestlers who sought justice from the BJP government.
Star grapplers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia on Friday welcomed Delhi court's decision to frame sexual harassment charges against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, calling it a big victory for country's women wrestlers.
The ministry, while suspending the newly-formed WFI panel under president Sanjay Singh on December 24, three days after he was elected its head, had cited the office running from Brij Bhushan's residence as one of the reasons for taking the stringent action.
India's men's hockey team clinched a second successive bronze medal at the Olympics for the first time in 52 years after a come-from-behind 2-1 victory win over Spain, giving veteran goalkeeper P R Sreejesh a fitting farewell in Paris on Thursday.
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.
Gandhi was seen sitting behind a few rows of seats, which were occupied by members of the Indian contingent that took part in the recently-held Paris Games.
Sakshi, Bajrang accuse WFI of using devious means to get suspension lifted, threaten fresh protest
Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia asserted that none of the protesting wrestlers have backed down.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday clinched a stunning hat-trick win in Haryana overcoming anti-incumbency and dashing Congress' hopes of a comeback while the National Conference-Congress combine pulled off a spectacular victory in maiden elections in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
'The khaps have taken a decision that on May 28, a mahapanchayat will be held under the leadership of women and youth near the new Parliament building. We've taken the decision because this is a fight for the integrity and respect of the womenfolk.'
Sanjay Singh claimed that the veteran wrestlers who have been protesting do not want junior wrestlers to progress
After seeking a delay in the Asian Games trials, the protesting wrestlers have now written to the Sports Ministry.
