WFI Controversy: Oversight committee formed by the government to oversee the functioning of the wrestling federation
Time to Read 3 Min
The wrestlers made several allegations, including sexual abuse and harassment.
The Sports Ministry has formed an oversight committee following a strike by wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. This committee will look after the functioning of the Wrestling Federation. Its chief will be world champion boxer Mary Kom. Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said that the WFI President will not work in his post. We are forming an Oversight Committee headed by world champion Mary Kom, with Olympic medalist Yogeshwar Dutt, Dronacharya awardee Trupti Murgunde, TOPS CEO Rajagopalan, Radha Sriman as its members.
Earlier, Mary Kom was also appointed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as the head of its inquiry committee. The IOA had constituted a seven-member committee. The IOA officials, considering the allegations of the wrestlers as serious, constituted a seven-member committee, in which Mary Kom was elected as the chairperson of the committee.
What is the whole matter?
On Wednesday, more than 30 Indian wrestlers started a sit-in against Brij Bhushan Singh, President of the Wrestling Federation of India, at Delhi's Jantar Mantar and made several serious allegations against him. However, Brij Bhushan rejected the allegations outright and blamed the wrestlers. Brij Bhushan's allegations had no effect on the wrestlers and the protest continued. Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry and the Wrestling Federation tried to settle the matter through talks, but all efforts failed. The wrestlers remained adamant on their demand. In the end, Brijbhushan's bets were weakened in front of the wrestlers and he was temporarily removed from the post of the President of the Wrestling Association.
The protest, which started on Wednesday morning, went on for three days. On Friday night, the wrestlers held talks with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was temporarily removed from the post of wrestling association president and a committee was formed to investigate the allegations against him.
Sports Ministry is already in action
After that the Sports Ministry suspended Vinod Tomar, Assistant Secretary of Wrestling Federation of India, on Saturday (January 21). Vinod Tomar gave a statement in favor of Wrestling Association President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the morning of the same day. Vinod Tomar believes that Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has not done any mistake. He had said, “The allegations are baseless. There is nothing like that. It's been three-four days and they haven't produced any evidence yet. I have been associated with him for the last 12 years and I have not seen anything like this.
