Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Neeraj Chopra expressed his support towards the wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar on Friday stating that they have "worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud."
He called for "quick action" from the authorities in order to ensure that justice is served.
Chopra expressed his disappointment a day after Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha came down heavily on the wrestlers for hitting the streets to resume their protests instead of approaching its athletes' commission to lodge their complaints against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexual harassment and intimidation.
"It hurts me to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. They have worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud. As a nation, we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual, athlete or not," Chopra wrote on Twitter.
"What's happening should never happen. This is a sensitive issue, and must be dealt with in an impartial and transparent manner. Pertaining authorities must take quick action in order to ensure that justice is served," he added.
Kapil Dev supports wrestlers' protest
Former Indian cricket legend and 1983 World Cup winning team captain Kapil Dev also came forward and extended his support to the ongoing wrestlers' protest. Kapil took to his Instagram account and posted a story on his account with a picture of the protesting athletes and wrote, "Will they ever get justice?"
Screenshot of Kapil Dev's Instagram story |
Star Tennis player Sania Mirza's message of solidarity
Sania Mirza, star Tennis player, also took to Twitter to announce her solidarity with the grapplers. "As an athlete but more as a woman this is too difficult to watch .. they’ve brought laurels to our country and we have all celebrated them , with them .. if you have done that then it’s time to now stand with them in this difficult time too .. this is a highly sensitive matter and serious allegations.I hope whatever the truth is justice is served.. sooner rather than later," she wrote.
Indian boxing champion Nikhat Zareen also supported the protest. In the latest tweet on her Twitter handle, Zareen wrote, "It breaks my heart to see our Olympic & World medallists in this state. Sportspeople also serve the nation by bringing glory & laurels. I sincerely hope & pray that the law takes its own course and justice is served at the earliest Jai Hind. #IStandWithMyChampions"
Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh came forward and expressed support to the grapplers' protest. "Sakshi, Vinesh are India's pride. I am pained as a sportsperson to find pride of our country coming out to protest on the streets. I pray that they get justice. #IStandWithWrestlers," wrote Singh in a tweet.
India's batting legend and former cricketer Virender Sehwag also tweeted in the support of the wrestlers at support.
"It is very sad that our champions, who have brought laurels to the country, hoisted the flag and brought so much happiness to all of us, have to come on the road today. It is a very sensitive matter and it should be investigated impartially. Hope the players get justice," read his latest tweet.
Abhinav Bindra also came out in support of the wrestlers
Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra also supported the wrestlers in their protest with a poignant tweet on Wednesday.
"As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration," Bindra tweeted.
"My heart goes out to all those who have been affected. We must ensure that this issue is handled properly, with the athletes' concerns heard and addressed fairly and independently. This incident highlights the crucial need for a proper safeguarding mechanism that can prevent harassment and ensure justice for those affected. We must work towards creating a safe and secure environment for all athletes to thrive in," he added.
PT Usha says wrestlers should have approached the IOA earlier
Earlier, PT Usha said on Thursday that the wrestlers should have approached the IOA earlier instead of going out in the streets against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, who the wrestlers accused of sexual harassment and mismanagement of athletes.
"Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is having a committee for sexual harassment, instead of going to the streets they (protesting wrestlers) could have come to us earlier but they did not come to IOA. It is not good for sports not only for wrestlers, they should also have some discipline," said Usha to the media.
