The protesting wrestlers on Sunday termed the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) decision to take charge of all the activities of the Wrestling Federation of India as the “first step” in their fight against Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, the former WFI chief.

The country’s top wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat among others, have been protesting at the Jantar Mantar for the last 22 days demanding the arrest of Singh for his alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers.

The IOA, through its letter on May 12, asked the secretary general of WFI to hand over the official documents, including financial instruments, to its ad hoc panel, making it clear the outgoing office bearers shall have no role in the running of thefederation.

The WFI said it has no issues in obeying the IOA order since they were already co-operating with the authorities.

“This (the dissolution of the current WFI) is the first step in our fight for justice. Our fight has begun in right earnest, it’s a victory for us... and we will continue or fight until we get justice,” said Bajrang, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist.

Asian Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat rued that not a single ruling party’s parliamentarian had met the wrestlers “to extend support in our fight for the dignity of women”.

She said that from Monday onwards the wrestlers will give letters by hand or via e-mail to all women parliamentarians of the ruling party to come and support them.

“When they talk about the safety of women in the country, then we too are their daughters and they should come out and support us,” she said.