This Article is From Jan 20, 2023

Don't Go To Media, Minister Cautions Wrestling Body Chief Facing #MeToo

Sources have told NDTV that no charges can be filed against the wrestling body chief yet as no specific complaint has been filed against him.

Advertisement
India News Reported by , Edited by
New Delhi:

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday cautioned Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh against going to media or making any statement in the #MeToo allegations against him as it will complicate matters, NDTV has learnt.

Mr Thakur who met the protesting wrestlers for four hours (10pm-2am) without any headway yesterday, is set to meet the grapplers again today.  

"If I speak, there will be a tsunami... I am not here because of someone's help, I have been elected by the people," Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh told reporters in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda earlier in the day.

Sources have told NDTV that no charges can be filed against the wrestling body chief yet as no specific complaint has been filed against him.

The protesting wrestlers today, in a letter addressed to Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha, demanded formation of an inquiry committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Mr Singh. They added that these complaints were made by several young wrestlers.

Advertisement

Vinesh Phogat has agreed to reveal the identity of the victims to India Olympic Association committee.

"Vinesh Phogat was mentally harassed and tortured by the WFI chief after she missed out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo. She almost contemplated suicide," said the letter signed by five wrestlers, including Tokyo Olympics medallists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia.

Advertisement

The wrestlers reiterated their demand that the wrestling federation be disbanded and its chief be sacked.

Featured Video Of The Day

Flights, Markets, Banks, Stock Exchange: Microsoft Outage Crippling Sectors

Advertisement