Thakur also said that WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh would step aside till the probe ends.
“The committee will see all the day-to-day workings till the investigation completes, and till then Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will step aside and cooperate with the investigation,” he said.
Further addressing the mediapersons, Thakur said that the players kept their demands and a detailed discussion about it took place. “We had issued a notice to the Wrestling Federation of India when the allegations were levelled and asked them to respond within 72 hours, and they did. Similarly, we seek their timely support and cooperation so that the matter can be resolved soon,” he added.
In the press conference, Thakur was accompanied by wrestlers Sakshee Malikkh, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Ravi Dahiya and several others.
Extending gratitude for the government’s concern, Ace India wrestler Bajrang Punia said, “The Union Sports Minister listened to our demands and has assured us that a proper investigation will be done. I thank him and we are hopeful that a fair probe will be done, hence we are calling off the protest.”
Hence, the protest, which began on Wednesday at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital, was finally called off with the Sports Minister announcing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to set aside till the investigation against the levelled allegations completes.
The protest by wrestlers, including Olympic and Commonwealth Games (CWG) medalists, was underway in Delhi, as women wrestlers levelled serious charges of sexual harassment by the president and coaches of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation.
However, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh refuted the allegations and claimed he would expose the ‘political conspiracy’ in a press conference in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda yesterday.
