The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Friday formed a seven-member committee, which includes MC Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt, to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh by top grapplers.

Besides boxer Mary Kom and wrestler Yogeshwar, the panel also includes archer Dola Banerjee and Indian Weightlifting Federation of India (IWLF) president Sahdev Yadav.

The decision was taken during IOA’s emergency executive council meeting which was attended by the likes of Abhinav Bindra, Yogeshwar, along with IOA president PT Usha and joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey.

Shiva Keshvan was a special invitee to the meeting.

The agitating wrestlers had earlier in the day reached out to the IOA, demanding the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the allegations against Singh. The wrestlers had on Thursday threatened to lodge multiple FIRs against the 66-year-old WFI chief.

In a letter addressed to the IOA president, the wrestlers alleged financial misappropriation (of funds) on part of the WFI and claimed that the coaches and sports science staff at the national camp are “absolutely incompetent”.

Singh, a BJP Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh, refused to yield and likened the protest to a Shaheen Bagh-type movement. His son Prateek said Singh would issue a statement after the sports body’s annual general meeting on Sunday.

The Congress on Friday agreed with the wrestlers that the federation should be dissolved and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to state what action he took when issues were allegedly flagged to him by a wrestler in 2021.

Flanked by Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh and Commonwealth Games gold medallist discus thrower Krishna Poonia, both Congress leaders, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said it was “shameful” that even after 72 hours, WFI chief Singh had not resigned and the government was maintaining a “conspicuous silence”.

The Congress’ first and foremost demand is that the federation should be dissolved with immediate effect, she said.

“Brijbhushan Singh should have resigned yesterday (Thursday) itself. But the biggest demand that we raise for public interest is that women need to be made safe and secure,” Shrinate said.

Some of India’s most decorated athletes have come out in the open and talked about sexual harassment, she said, asking, “What more do we want our girls to say”.

The wrestlers had met Union sports minister Anurag Thakur late on Thursday but nothing resulted from the talks.

MP digs in his heels

Gonda: Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, who on Friday likened the wrestlers’ protest to the Shaheen Baghagitation on the Centre’s citizenship laws, will issue a statement after the sports body’s annual general meeting on Sunday, his son Prateek said.

The WFI chief had called for a news conference in his native Gonda on Friday morning. But it wasn’t held. Prateek, the BJP MLA from Gonda Sadar constituency, said: “I am here on behalf of my father and I would like to inform you all that we will issue a written statement only after the AGM of WFI on January 22.

“We want to discuss the issue with members from all across India and then take any decision. Whatever decision we take, we will inform the press through a written statement.”

PTI