Update: May 4, 2023On the night of May 3, Delhi Police manhandled and abused the wrestlers who have been at Jantar Mantar over nearly a week now. Apart from the demands listed below, we also demand that appropriate action be taking against the concerned Police personnel.
Update: May 1, 2023Wrestlers Brij Bhushan Singh has declared that
"If PM says, I will immediately resign, if Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda say, then too."
Update: April 30, 2023Wrestlers FIR was registered after the athletes have been at demanding justice at Jantar Mantar. However, Brij Bhushan Singh has refused to step down until the end of his term as President.
Update: April 28, 2023At least 7 wrestlers tried to register FIRs against Brij Bhushan Singh at Connaught Place Police Station in Delhi. They were not registered by the police, after which the protesters returned to Jantar Mantar to demand justice.
Update: Apr 24, 2023Wrestlers are protesting at Jantar Mantar once again. They have filed FIRs asking for the arrest of Brij Bhushan Singh.
Our demands in support with the wrestlers:1. Publish the findings of the OC's investigations immediately.
2. Arrest Brij Bhushan Singh.
3. form an Internal Committee as per the PoSH Act, 2013 at the WFI. [1][4]
Update: April 10, 2023The six-member Oversight Committee, after much delay, submitted its report in the first week of April. But, the report has not been made public. Moreover, a senior WFI functionary has announced that WFI will resume its functioning at the end of April. Bajrang Punia, a protesting wrestler, has made their position clear by expressing his concern: "when the committee's report has not come out, how can WFI state normal functioning? There are also reports that one member of the committee has signed it with objections. So, we don't know what is happening here. We don't want wrestling to suffer. It is a serious matter, otherwise we would not have come out and protested on the streets. We want justice."
Update: Mar 29, 2023It has been over a month since the extension was granted. The date requested by the OC has passed but no report has been published yet.
We have updated our demands:1. Publish the findings of the OC's investigations immediately.
2. the WFI form an Internal Committee as per the PoSH Act, 2013. [1][4]
Update: Feb 23, 2023The term of the oversight committee has been extended: "MYAS has extended the term of the Oversight Committee for wrestling by two week for submission of the report pertaining to the complaint filed by a group of wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India. The extension has been granted on request from the Oversight Committee," the ministry said in a statement.
United World Wrestling shifted the Asian Wrestling Championship out of India. [8]
Update: Jan 23, 2023A five-member Oversight Committee (OC) has been appointed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Mary Kom has been appointed to lead the OC. The OC is delegated to probe into the complaints made by the wrestlers and submitting a report in a month's time on the same. In the meantime, the OC will be carrying out the WFI's day-to-day work. [7]
Update: Jan 21, 2023The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports suspended all activities of the WFI. This suspension will remain in effect until an Oversight Comittee is appointed. [6]
Several national team wrestlers, including top players, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malikkh, and Bajrang Punia, sat on a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for the second day on Thursday against the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and coaches over multiple incidents of sexual and mental harassment over the years.
They are demanding the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to immediately appoint a committee to enquire into the complaints of sexual harassment, resignation of the current WFI President, dissolution of the WFI, and the formation of a new committee to run the affairs of the WFI in consultation with the wrestlers. [2]
We stand in solidarity with all the protesting wrestlers.
We demand that:
the WFI form an Internal Committee as per the PoSH Act, 2013. [1][4]
the Internal Committee of WFI start proceedings right away and investigate this matter on an urgent basis.
the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports urgently look into the matter and intervene.
It takes immense courage for wrestlers to raise their voice against predatory coaches and the management who hold power in an institution. We must support them and let WFI know that they can not get away with this. Demand accountability from the WFI to prioritize safety of our athletes- sign the petition!
Sources
Update: May 4, 2023On the night of May 3, Delhi Police manhandled and abused the wrestlers who have been at Jantar Mantar over nearly a week now. Apart from the demands listed below, we also demand that appropriate action be taking against the concerned Police personnel.
Update: May 1, 2023Wrestlers Brij Bhushan Singh has declared that
"If PM says, I will immediately resign, if Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda say, then too."
Update: April 30, 2023Wrestlers FIR was registered after the athletes have been at demanding justice at Jantar Mantar. However, Brij Bhushan Singh has refused to step down until the end of his term as President.
Update: April 28, 2023At least 7 wrestlers tried to register FIRs against Brij Bhushan Singh at Connaught Place Police Station in Delhi. They were not registered by the police, after which the protesters returned to Jantar Mantar to demand justice.
Update: Apr 24, 2023Wrestlers are protesting at Jantar Mantar once again. They have filed FIRs asking for the arrest of Brij Bhushan Singh.
Our demands in support with the wrestlers:1. Publish the findings of the OC's investigations immediately.
2. Arrest Brij Bhushan Singh.
3. form an Internal Committee as per the PoSH Act, 2013 at the WFI. [1][4]
Update: April 10, 2023The six-member Oversight Committee, after much delay, submitted its report in the first week of April. But, the report has not been made public. Moreover, a senior WFI functionary has announced that WFI will resume its functioning at the end of April. Bajrang Punia, a protesting wrestler, has made their position clear by expressing his concern: "when the committee's report has not come out, how can WFI state normal functioning? There are also reports that one member of the committee has signed it with objections. So, we don't know what is happening here. We don't want wrestling to suffer. It is a serious matter, otherwise we would not have come out and protested on the streets. We want justice."
Update: Mar 29, 2023It has been over a month since the extension was granted. The date requested by the OC has passed but no report has been published yet.
We have updated our demands:1. Publish the findings of the OC's investigations immediately.
2. the WFI form an Internal Committee as per the PoSH Act, 2013. [1][4]
Update: Feb 23, 2023The term of the oversight committee has been extended: "MYAS has extended the term of the Oversight Committee for wrestling by two week for submission of the report pertaining to the complaint filed by a group of wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India. The extension has been granted on request from the Oversight Committee," the ministry said in a statement.
United World Wrestling shifted the Asian Wrestling Championship out of India. [8]
Update: Jan 23, 2023A five-member Oversight Committee (OC) has been appointed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Mary Kom has been appointed to lead the OC. The OC is delegated to probe into the complaints made by the wrestlers and submitting a report in a month's time on the same. In the meantime, the OC will be carrying out the WFI's day-to-day work. [7]
Update: Jan 21, 2023The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports suspended all activities of the WFI. This suspension will remain in effect until an Oversight Comittee is appointed. [6]
Several national team wrestlers, including top players, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malikkh, and Bajrang Punia, sat on a protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for the second day on Thursday against the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and coaches over multiple incidents of sexual and mental harassment over the years.
They are demanding the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to immediately appoint a committee to enquire into the complaints of sexual harassment, resignation of the current WFI President, dissolution of the WFI, and the formation of a new committee to run the affairs of the WFI in consultation with the wrestlers. [2]
We stand in solidarity with all the protesting wrestlers.
We demand that:
the WFI form an Internal Committee as per the PoSH Act, 2013. [1][4]
the Internal Committee of WFI start proceedings right away and investigate this matter on an urgent basis.
the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports urgently look into the matter and intervene.
It takes immense courage for wrestlers to raise their voice against predatory coaches and the management who hold power in an institution. We must support them and let WFI know that they can not get away with this. Demand accountability from the WFI to prioritize safety of our athletes- sign the petition!
Sources
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