Wrestlers end protest after assurances from Sports Minister Anurag Thakur

The Union Sports Minister also assured that an oversight committee will be formed.

Indian wrestlers have finally called off the protest after receiving assurance from sports minister Anurag Thakur following a meeting at his residence. Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia while addressing the media said, “After receiving the assurance from our sports minister, we have decided to call off the protest.”

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said, “I want to thank all the players as they have provided us with valuable inputs and our discussions have been about taking forward the sports. We have seen changes in multiple sports federations in the recent past and this will be looked upon.”

“The committee will investigate all the serious allegations including sexual harassment and financial irregularities. It will be investigated properly and the committee will take further decisions. he added.

Brijbhushan Sharan will step aside from day-to-day functions as WFI (Wrestling Federation of India) president for one month. An independent committee will be formed to look at all allegations of harassment, and issue a report in four weeks.

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Earlier, PT Usha the president of the Indian Olympics Association (IOA), arranged an urgent meeting on Friday in light of the ongoing protest of the wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India. The members of the executive council also came to an anonymous decision to stay neutral to the investigation and not to get carried away by the media trial going on around the country.

The EC has decided to honour the request of the athletes. They have formed a seven-member committee to look into the allegations of sexual harassment against the male coaching staff in accordance with a 2013 ruling.

The protest started on 19 January (Wednesday) with top wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, and Sakshi Malik sitting on dharna against the WFI and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers also wrote a letter to the IOA chief addressing their grievances and listing their demands.

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