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The protesting wrestlers on Sunday said that the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) decision to take over all Wrestling Federation of India activities is the ''first move'' in their battle against WFI chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
India's ace grapplers, including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat among others, have been protesting at the Jantar Mantar in the national capital for the last 22 days demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan's arrest for alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Saturday debarred all outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) officials from undertaking any administrative WFI function with immediate effect. IOA issued a letter regarding the same. "Taking note of the Ministry's letter dated 24.04.2023 informing Indian Olympic Association (IOA) of the administrative void in Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and requesting the IOA to form a transitory committee or Ad hoc Committee to conduct elections of Executive Council of WFI and manage affairs of WFI, IOA Executive Council at its Emergency meeting held on 27th April, 2023 has unanimously resolved that an Ad Hoc Committee should be constituted to take charge of the affairs of the WFI," the letter read. The ad hoc committee formed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has taken up matters into its own hand and all the day-to-day functioning of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) is being performed by the committee until the WFI elections, according to the sources. ''This (the dissolution of the current WFI) is the first step in our fight for justice. Our fight has begun in right earnest, it's a victory for us... and we will continue or fight until we get justice,'' the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang said at the press conference. Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat stated that beginning Monday, the wrestlers will personally deliver or send e-mails to all female legislators of the ruling party inviting them to come and support them. ''When they talk about the safety of women in the country, then we too are their daughters and they should come out and support us,'' she said. The IOA's three-member ad-hoc committee has made it clear that the process to elect new WFI office bearers will be completed within the 45-day time frame and that the charge will be handed back to the elected body. Earlier the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced on April 24 that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) will form an ad-hoc committee to conduct the elections for the Executive Committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) within 45 days of its formation, to manage day-to-day affairs of the body, including the selection of athletes and making entries for the participation of players in international events. (ANI)
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