IOA forms panel to probe wrestlers' allegations against WFI chief

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Friday night (January 20) formed a seven-member committee to probe wrestlers’ allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

The members of the panel are boxer Mary Kom, archer Dola Banerjee, IOA joint secretary Alaknanda Ashok, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, Indian Weightlifting Federation President Sahdev Yadav and two advocates, the IOA said.

Also read: WFI chief compares wrestlers protest with Shaheen Bagh stir, refuses to quit

“We will sit and listen to everyone and do an unbiased investigation after looking at the charges and try to give a fair justice,” Yadav told ANI.

Celebrated Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat and others have been staging a sit-in protest for the past two days at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the WFI president, accusing him of sexual harassment and intimidation.

Earlier on Friday, the agitating wrestlers reached out to the IOA, demanding the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Singh, a day after threatening to lodge multiple FIRs against the WFI chief.

Also read: Explained: Why India’s champion wrestlers are up in arms against WFI

However, Singh has stuck to his stand to not relinquish the post.

“The protest by wrestlers against me is the dharna of Shaheen Bagh,” Singh, who is also a sixth-time Lok Sabha MP from UP’s Kaisarganj constituency, told reporters in his native place Nandini Nagar, Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.

Singh also termed the protest an attack on BJP and orchestrated by the Congress party.

(With inputs from agencies)