IOA chief PT Usha visits protesting wrestlers
A day after Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik made a scathing attack on Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha and Athletes Commission chief MC Mary Kom for not backing their fight to get Wrestling Federation of India head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh punished, the track great visited the protesting wrestlers at their Jantar Mantar sit-in on Wednesday.
Usha, who had called their sit-in protest accusing Singh of sexually harassing women wrestlers and demanding action as an act of indiscipline, offered her support and solidarity. The athletics icon spent about 30 minutes with the wrestlers on the 11th day of sit-in. She did not speak to the media.
“Usha ma’am has extended her support to our cause. Better late than never,” Punia said. “We have utmost respect for her as an athlete. She said her earlier statements were misinterpreted.”
Last Thursday, speaking to the media after IOA’s Executive Council meeting, Usha said, “IOA has an athlete commission and instead of hitting the streets, these wrestlers should've come to us.”
"The athletes should have been disciplined. If their problems are real, they should've come to us earlier. If they were not satisfied with us, then they could've gone anywhere. But hitting the streets is not good for sports, not just for wrestlers.”
Usha’s visit followed a meeting of the senior IOA officials on Tuesday night which decided that she should visit the wrestlers to salvage the apex sports body’s image.
The protestors had expressed anguish at Usha’s comments and boxing stalwart Mary – she head the oversight committee of the union sports ministry which probed their initial complaint – not commenting on the issue.
Usha’s visit helped in damage control though the wrestlers were wary. “She came across as a good person. She has reached the top of IOA but is being manipulated by the politicians. We still respect her a lot as an athlete,” Phogat said.
Punia added: “She assured us that justice will be done. So far, assurances have been no good, but we respect her sentiment.”
“She said she wants to see us compete and win medals for the country. She feels disappointed we’re sitting here. She also said such investigation takes time and we must be patient,” said Phogat.
“She is also a Rajya Sabha member, we requested her to raise our issue.”
‘Don’t trust Delhi Police’
The wrestlers accused the Delhi Police – it has registered two first information reports (FIRs) based on complaints by seven wrestlers -- of spreading misinformation about their sit-in.
“We don’t trust Delhi Police. They are under serious political pressure and are resorting to petty tricks to discredit us,” Punia said.
The wrestlers alleged that an NGO team that wanted to visit them on Wednesday morning was told by the police that the protesters had vacated the site.
“The police have been telling people that we go to a hotel at night and come back by noon the next day. We have booked a few rooms to wash and change but sleep at Jantar Mantar all night. Anyone who wants to verify is welcome,” Malik said.
Their counsel Narendra Hooda said the police were resorting to “delaying tactics”. The next hearing in their case in Supreme Court is on Thursday.
“So far, Delhi Police has served notices to six of the seven complainants, of which four have recorded their statements. The statement of the minor was recorded two days back without notice. This means five complainants have deposed before the police and we expect all seven to record statements before tomorrow,” Hooda said.
“These statements have been taken under Section 161 of CrPC. The statements given to police are not admissible in court. The aggrieved wrestlers must be asked to depose before a magistrate for their versions to be admissible.
“We want the statements to be recorded under Section 168. It should have been done by now. Brij Bhushan has become a TV star and Delhi Police is yet to question him. All this gives us enough ammunition to go after them in the court.”
In Jalandhar, union sports minister Anurag Thakur warned against hasty action in the matter. “You can't just arrest anyone without having a lengthy investigation into the matter,” he said.
“One can't jump the gun. The Delhi police has registered FIRs and the inquiry is on. Strict action will be taken against whoever is found guilty. I am totally against any sort of media trial,” he told reporters.
World body seeks clarity
The United World Wrestling (UWW) president Nenad Lalovic has sought clarity on who is running the sport in the country, PTI reported.
In a letter to WFI on April 28, he wrote it wasn’t clear who ran the daily affairs of the body though it seemed the secretary-general (VN Prasood) “is still in place and works actively”.
WFI in its reply said, “We were going to write to UWW asking for an observer for the said elections (initially planned on May 7), but the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports interfered and issued direction that it was null and void and would be conducted by the IOA, which is against the rule of IOC Charter.”
The IOA ad hoc committee will hold its first meeting on Thursday.
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