Former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Babita Phogat has been included in the monitoring committee constituted by the Sports Ministry to investigate the allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and to run the federation. The Sports Ministry gave this information on Tuesday.
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The committee constituted by the Sports Ministry is probing allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment, intimidation, financial, and administrative irregularities against the WFI and its president. Renowned wrestlers like Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Ravi Dahiya have made these allegations.
Babita Phogat is the sixth member of this committee. The committee includes legendary boxer MC Mary Kom, former wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, former badminton player Trupti Murgunde, former SAI officer Radhica Sreeman and former CEO of Target Olympic Podium Scheme Rajesh Rajagopalan. Former wrestler Babita Phogat joined the committee constituted by the Sports Ministry to look after the day-to-day functioning of the Wrestling Federation of India.
More than 30 wrestlers from India started a sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. They leveled several serious allegations against him, including sexual harassment. However, Brij Bhushan rejected the allegations outright and blamed the wrestlers. Brij Bhushan’s allegations had no effect on the wrestlers and the protest continued. Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry and the Wrestling Federation tried to settle the matter through talks, but all efforts failed.
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The wrestlers remained adamant on their demands. In the end, Brijbhushan couldn’t defend more in front of the wrestlers. After that, he has to remove himself temporarily from the post of the President of the Wrestling Association. The Sports Ministry then constituted a monitoring committee to oversee the functioning of the federation, which was also tasked with probing the allegations. The wrestlers had expressed displeasure towards the government for not consulting them before the formation of this committee. Although the government has not responded to it at present.
