New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday morning visited Virender Arya Akhara in Haryana’s Jhajjar district and interacted with the wrestlers including Bajrang Punia. The visit comes amid a fresh row over the Wrestling Foundation of India (WFI) and its chief.
The sports ministry suspended the WFI after WFI’s new president Sanjay Singh announced the hosting of the U-15 and U-20 nationals by the end of this year. Wrestlers who accused former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment were miffed over the election of Sanjay Singh as Sanjay Singh is very close to Brij Bhushan. In protest, Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from wrestling, Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri and Vinesh Phogat announced she would return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award.
“He (Rahul Gandhi) came to see our routine (training). He did wrestling and exercise with me. He came to see what is the day-to-day life of a wrestler,” Bajrang told reporters.
The meeting came a day after World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award to the government in protest against Sanjay’s election.
On Thursday, Sanjay was elected as the WFI president as the panel led by the close aide of Brij Bhushan won 13 of the 15 posts.
The wrestlers had demanded that no close associate of Brij Bhushan should enter the WFI administration.
The sports ministry suspended the WFI after WFI’s new president Sanjay Singh announced the hosting of the U-15 and U-20 nationals by the end of this year. Wrestlers who accused former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment were miffed over the election of Sanjay Singh as Sanjay Singh is very close to Brij Bhushan. In protest, Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from wrestling, Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri and Vinesh Phogat announced she would return her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award.
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