IOA chief PT Usha: ‘Wrestlers going to streets to protest is not good for sport, shows indiscipline’

After the former star athlete and IOA president’s remarks, wrestlers said they are in the streets now only because they haven’t been heard.

Apr 27, 2023 - 23:30
IOA chief PT Usha: ‘Wrestlers going to streets to protest is not good for sport, shows indiscipline’

Indian Olympic Association President and former athletics superstar PT Usha said that the top Indian wrestlers involved in the sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar are not showing discipline and should have approached the body before hitting the streets.

Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik are the three prominent figures in the fresh protests against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused by the grapplers of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.

“Our feeling is that for sexual harassment complaints, IOA has an athletes’ commission. Instead of going to the street (again), they could have come to us earlier itself, but they have not at all come to IOA,” Usha told reporters after IOA’s Executive Committee meeting, reported PTI.

Usha and IOA Joint Secretary Kalyan Chaubey said that an ad-hoc committee has now been formed so that the day-to-day activities of the sport is not affected.

The President insisted that the protesting wrestlers should have addressed their concerns to the IOA before taking to the streets.

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

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