Sports Minister holds 4-hour meeting with protesting wrestlers, WFI to respond to allegations on Friday

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur met with the protesting wrestlers for as many as 4 hours at his residence in New Delhi on Thursday, January 19.

The meeting, which spilled over to Friday, came after top Indian wrestlers, including the likes of Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia, led a protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), demanding its president and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh step down from the top job.

Anurag Thakur, who was on official duty in Himachal Pradesh, returned to New Delhi on Thursday evening to hear the concerns of the protesting wrestlers. Olympic wrestlers first gathered at Jantar Mantar in the capital city on Wednesday and demanded action against WFI president Brij Bhushan, alleging that the 66-year-old sexually harassed female wrestlers and intimidated quite a few athletes.

FRUITFUL MEETING
India Today sources said that the meeting was ‘fruitful’ and the Sports Minister listened to the concerns of the wrestlers. Anurag Thakur met the likes of Bajrang, Vinesh, Sakshi, Tokyo Olympic silver medalist Ravi Dahiya, Anshu Malik among a few others at his residence.

The government, according to sources, put forward its proposal to the wrestlers, who have demanded the WFI be dissolved. The discussions between the government and the protesting athletes are set to continue on Friday.

The wrestlers were also joined by DG SAI Sandip Pradhan at the Sports Minister’s house.