NEW DELHI: The Union govt has decided to form an oversight committee that will oversee the allegations of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the WFI president. The WFI sent its reply on Friday evening after being asked by the sports ministry to respond to the allegations within 72 hours.
Protesters have acted more in personal interest or under undue pressure to malign and defame present sitting management of WFI, said the federation in a letter to the union ministry. It rejected all the allegations made by the Indian wrestlers, including that of sexual harassment against the body’s president Singh.
“The WFI is managed by an elected body as per its constitution, and therefore, there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement in WFI by anyone individually, including the president,” the WFI said in its response to the sports ministry. “The WFI, in particular, under the sitting president has always acted keeping the best interests of wrestlers in mind. The WFI has enhanced the image of wrestling sport nationally as well as internationally and for the record of this ministry, it is not possible without fair, supportive, clean and strict management of WFI,” it added.
The wrestling body added that, “the WFI is managed by the policy, rules, regulations, instructions etc. of the WFI or the Govt. of India or of International Body for the promotion of Wrestling as per its Constitution and Policy etc. and is not governed by the whims and fancies of any individual office bearers including President of WFI, which are also mostly available in public domain.”
The wrestlers ended their three day long sit in protest at Jantar Mantar after a breakthrough was achieved after a second round of talks with union ministry Anurag Thakur.