Wrestlers vs WFI: Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia claim Sports Ministry did not consult them before forming Oversight Committee

A day after the Central government formed the five-member Oversight Committee to probe into the charges of sexual harassment against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its chief Brij Bhushan Sharan, a sitting BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and international wrestler Vinesh Phogat - who led the wrestlers’ protest against the WFI and its chief, on Tuesday rued that they were not consulted before forming the panel.

The Union ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Monday announced that the world champion woman boxer and Olympic bronze medalist Mary Kom would head the Oversight Committee to look into the matter.

Taking to Twitter, Punia, wrote in Hindi that they (wrestlers) were assured that they would be consulted prior to constituting the committee while it was a matter of anguish that their opinion was not sought before forming the committee. Vinesh Phogat and Shakshi Malik also tweeted the same.

As per reports, the panel, which would be completing its inquiry within four weeks, has Olympic bronze medalist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, former Indian badminton champion Trupti Murgunde, former chief executive of the Target Olympic Podium Scheme captain Rajagopalan and former sports authority of India (SAI) executive director (teams) Radhika Sreeman.

The committee was formed by sports minister Anurag Thakur after the three-day dharna in Delhi by some of the country’s top wrestlers against the WFI and its chief.