Wrestlers’ Protest: IOC Slams Cops’ Treatment of Wrestlers; Centre Ensures Sensitive Handling

New Delhi: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has expressed concern over the treatment of the Indian wrestlers by the Delhi police and emphasized the need for an impartial criminal investigation into the allegations made by the wrestlers.

Further, the United World Wrestling (UWW) has also issued a warning to suspend India’s wrestling body.

Meanwhile, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur expressed that the Indian government is handling the issue of protesting wrestlers with sensitivity. The wrestlers have been demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the outgoing chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), over allegations of sexual harassment. In response to their demands, the government has accepted the wrestlers’ request for a committee to investigate the allegations, and an ongoing investigation is taking place.

Notable wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sangeeta Phogat, have been protesting in New Delhi and have even threatened to immerse their medals in the river Ganga. The Delhi police have filed an FIR as requested by the wrestlers, and the Wrestling Federation of India has formed a committee of administrators to address their concerns.

The Supreme Court has advised the wrestlers to approach the magistrate court regarding their case. Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has urged the wrestlers to have patience and trust in the judicial system, assuring them that appropriate action will be taken once the investigation is complete.

The issue has attracted criticism from various political parties, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Congress party. Mamata Banerjee participated in a protest against the alleged mistreatment of the wrestlers in Kolkata. The Congress party questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on the matter and called for his intervention to prevent the wrestlers from discarding their medals in the Ganga.