Was the wrestlers' protest against sexual harassment or exemption from trials?: Yogeshwar Dutt

New Delhi [India], June 23 : Padma Shri winner and Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt on Friday expressed his disappointment over reports that the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) ad hoc committee has decided to exempt protesting wrestlers from the initial trials.

The reports claimed that six wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, Satywart Kadian and Jitender Kinha have not just been exempted from appearing in the initial trials, but have also been promised that they will compete directly against the winners of the trials.

Yogeshwar took to Twitter and posted a video, questioning the criteria and parameters on which the protesting grapplers were exempted from the trials.

kyaa dhrnaa dene vaale khilaadd'iyoN kaa yhii mksd thaa? kushtii ke lie yh kaalaa din!! #wrestling pic.twitter.com/OacaEJmpz5— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) June 23, 2023

"I came to know from a newspaper report that the ad hoc committee of IOA has decided to give (the wrestling protesting against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) an exemption from the trials. They will take part in a final trial. I don't know what parameters or criteria were taken into consideration by the committee to let all six wrestlers take a direct final trial," Yogeshwar said in the video.

Also questioning the wrestlers' protest, he said he had doubts if the protest had more to do with exemption from the trials than allegations of sexual harassment against the WFI chief.

The BJP leader said he had information that the wrestlers wrote to the ad hoc committee of the IOA, seeking an exemption from trials.

"Was this protest against sexual harassment or getting an exemption from trials? I also came to know the protesters wrote to the ad hoc committee seeking an exemption from trials," Yogeshwar added.

He reasoned that there are other grapplers, who have a stronger and more claim to exemption from trials, than those who have been away from the mat for more than a year.

"If you want to give such exemptions, give it to Ravi Dhaiya, an Olympic gold medallist, or Deepak Punia (secured 4th place in Olympics), Anshu Malik (World Wrestling Championships silver medallist), and Sonam Malik. Giving these six athletes an exemption from trials is beyond my understanding and this is clearly not the right thing to do. This wasn't done even by the previous federation. You took the decision without going over the rules or setting any criteria. All wrestlers should raise their voices against this. I am not saying they should protest but they raise their voices through the media, write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IOA, and (Union Sports Minister) Anurag Thakur," Yogeshwar added.