PT Usha meets protesting wrestlers after calling protests 'not good for sport'

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president and former star athlete PT Usha, who had earlier called the protests “indiscipline”, on Wednesday met the protesting athletes at the Jantar Mantar and assured them of her support.

She had a discussion with the protesting wrestlers and left the protest site without speaking to the media. Later Bajrang Punia shared with the media that Usha has assured them that she will help them get justice.

“PT Usha met us and assured her support. She said she is first an athlete and then an administrator. She assured she will help us in getting justice,” Bajrang told the media.

On her comment that the wrestlers’ lack of discipline, Bajrnag said, “PT Usha said she was misinterpreted.”

Read: ‘Anurag Thakur tried to hush up the matter’, Vinesh alleges amid protest

Wrestlers have been on protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh since 23 April. The WFI chief has been accused of sexual harassment.

This is the second time wrestlers are protesting against the WFI chief. The January protest by wrestlers including Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat was called off after the Sports Ministry created an ‘oversight committee’ to investigate the allegations.

#WATCH | Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha reached Delhi’s Jantar Mantar where wrestlers are protesting since 11 days. pic.twitter.com/Vs3Lp1ZHaO

— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2023

After a lack of action, wrestlers hit the road again and this led to the registration of two FIRs against Brij Bhushan last week.

After the protests resumed on 23 April, Usha had said that the wrestlers lacked discipline and were bringing a bad name to Indian sport.

“Our feeling is that for sexual harassment complaints, IOA has a committee and athletes’ commission. Instead of going to the street (again), they should have come to us, but they have not at all come to IOA,” Usha said.

“Thoda toh discipline hona chahiye (there should be some discipline). Instead of coming to us they have gone straight to the streets. It’s not good for sport,” Usha added.

Read More: Non-protesting wrestlers demand resumption of national camp

Meanwhile, Mahavir Phogat, the father of the famous Phogat sisters, has also come out in support of the protesting wrestlers.

“This is a do-or-die situation. We will sit on dharna till we get justice. We are united in this fight. Babita (Phogat) is also part of this fight,” Mahavir Phogat told India Today.

“There was a dharna in January as well. We wanted to inform the sports minister, BJP chief JP Nadda and Union home minister Amit Shah about the situation. They would have resolved the issue. A committee was formed (to probe the charges) but it did not do justice and no report was filed.

“There is no politics over the issue. The allegation that my family is trying to usurp power is false. Our family is together. We won’t take any position in WFI.”

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