WFI President to Step Aside till End of Probe; Agitating Wrestlers Call off Protest

New Delhi: After more than six-hour-long discussions at the residence of Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Friday night, agitating wrestlers decided to call off their three-day-long protest demonstration.

The wrestlers were demanding the immediate removal of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh as well as the dissolution of the sports body. They had raised allegations of sexual harassment and other gross irregularities in the functioning of the WFI.

But both warring sides agreed on a middle path.

Sports Minister Thakur announced that an overseeing committee would be formed to inquire into the allegations of sexual misconduct and financial irregularities in the WFI. Members of this committee will be announced on Saturday. This committee will file its report in four weeks.

To ensure impartial inquiry by this committee, WFI president Singh will step aside from his role and the committee will take over the day-to-day affairs of the WFI.