A group of India's top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat have threatened to withdraw their names from this year's forthcoming Asian Games in China in the event that the Indian government fails to meet their demands related to sexual harassment allegations against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
"We will participate in the Asian Games only when all these issues will be resolved. You can't understand what we're going through mentally each day," Rio Olympics bronze medal winner Sakshi Malik said in Sonipat, Haryana on Saturday.
The grapplers' ultimatum to the authorities comes days ahead of a government-announced deadline for completing investigations of the matter by June 15. This date was announced by federal sports minister Anurag Thakur after he held talks with the protesting wrestlers on Wednesday.
Thakur's meeting came following a week-long drama started with the Delhi Police suppressing the protest in the national capital.
Thakur's meeting came following a week-long drama started with the Delhi Police suppressing the protest in the national capital.
As a consequence, the wrestlers proceeded to the Holy town of Haridwar in Uttarakhand state to put their medals in the Ganga River, considered sacred by the Hindus. However, they eventually decided against immersing their medals, at the insistence of community elders.
Lately they were invited by Federal Home Minister Amit Shah for talks with Thakur. After holding discussions with the protesting wrestlers, Thakur agreed to one of their key demands - polls for electing the new officials of the WFI would be held by June 30.
Moreover, he committed that the investigation into Singh would be completed by June 15. Consequently, the wrestlers suspended their protests till June 15 to plan their next course of action once the report of the investigation comes out.
"After June 15, we will decide where to start the protest again," Malik concluded.
Lately they were invited by Federal Home Minister Amit Shah for talks with Thakur. After holding discussions with the protesting wrestlers, Thakur agreed to one of their key demands - polls for electing the new officials of the WFI would be held by June 30.
Moreover, he committed that the investigation into Singh would be completed by June 15. Consequently, the wrestlers suspended their protests till June 15 to plan their next course of action once the report of the investigation comes out.
"After June 15, we will decide where to start the protest again," Malik concluded.