PT Usha Meets Protesting Wrestlers At Delhi’s Jantar Mantar

New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha on Wednesday reached Delhi’s Jantar Mantar where wrestlers have been protesting for the last 11 days against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual harassment allegations.

They expressed shock that Usha, a former track great, and its Athletes Commission (AC) chairperson MC Mary Kom, a boxing icon, have “abandoned” them. Usha’s visit comes a day after the protesting wrestlers on Tuesday expressed anger over the delay in the investigation into the case. Last week, Usha said the wrestlers should have shown more discipline while Mary, who also headed the sports ministry’s oversight committee that submitted a report into the sexual harassment complaints, has not commented on the current protests. The AC is yet to reach out to the wrestlers with its members saying a public statement to express solidarity with the protestors was blocked at the drafting stage.

On Tuesday, IOA’s Athletes Commission member Om Prakash Karhana came out in support of the wrestlers, saying “justice should be delivered to athletes who are fighting for their rights”.