Amidst the ongoing tussle between the wrestlers and the BJP MP and the president of WFI, Brij Bhushan, a delegation of wrestlers met Anurag Thakur, the Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs in the Modi Government, on June 6, 2023. The delegation was led by Bajrang Punia, the reigning Olympic champion.
The wrestlers met Thakur to discuss the upcoming Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. They also discussed the need for better infrastructure and facilities for wrestling in India. However, it is speculated that they also discussed their ongoing tussle with their current WFI president Brij Bhushan.
Sources suggest that Anurag Thakur promised the wrestlers some pathbreaking reforms in WFI. He also promised that Brij Bhushan will not be contesting the upcoming elections of WFI. Though, there was no official statement to support this claim.
#WATCH | Government has assured us that police investigation will be completed before 15th June. We have requested that all FIRs against wrestlers should be taken back and he has agreed to it. If no action is taken by 15th June, we will continue our protest: Wrestler Bajrang… pic.twitter.com/1hi9Qp0RFY
— ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2023
Thakur also assured the wrestlers that the WFI is committed to providing them with the best possible support. He said that the WFI is working on a number of projects, including the construction of a new wrestling training centre in Sonepat, Haryana.
The wrestlers thanked Thakur for his support and expressed their confidence that India will do well in the upcoming Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
Here are some of the key points from the meeting:
- The wrestlers raised the issue of the lack of infrastructure and facilities for wrestling in India.
- Thakur assured the wrestlers that the WFI is committed to providing them with the best possible support.
- Thakur said that the WFI is working on a number of projects, including the construction of a new wrestling training centre in Sonepat, Haryana.
- The wrestlers thanked Thakur for his support and expressed their confidence that India will do well in the upcoming Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games.
The meeting was a positive step towards improving the state of wrestling in India. It is clear that the WFI is committed to providing the wrestlers with the best possible support. With the right infrastructure and facilities, India has the potential to produce world-class wrestlers.
No POCSO against Brij Bhushan:
Meanwhile, in a significant development and a much relief to Brij Bhushan, the minor from the seven female wrestlers who had accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and the BJP MP, of sexual harassment and stalking, has retracted her allegations.
This gave a blow to the wrestlers’ case against the WFI president as they were highly dependent on the minor’s statement. Now, this change in the minor’s statement puts all other charges under a shadow of a doubt, as the court will determine whether the case can be carried on and which of the conflicting statements made under Section 164 will carry more weight.