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NEW DELHI: India has lost the hosting rights of the Asian Wrestling Championships, scheduled to be held here from March 28 to April 2. It’s been learnt that the sport’s global governing body – United World Wrestling (UWW) – decided to move the tournament out of India following complaints of sexual harassment against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
UWW has communicated its decision to the sports ministry-appointed oversight committee, headed by legendary boxer M C Mary Kom, sources confirmed to TOI on Wednesday evening. There hasn’t been any official communication from either the oversight committee or the UWW informing the same.
The world body will soon be announcing a new host city for the continental meet where Indian wrestlers will be allowed to participate. It’s been learnt that the six-member committee did try to convince the UWW not to move out the championships from India and even bargained for its postponement. But, the UWW rejected the request after receiving complaints in strict confidentiality from female wrestlers against Singh.
The other reason which the UWW cited was the ongoing probe into the allegations and the likely delay in submitting the findings to the government, which could have created problems for the world body as organisers.
Singh is facing charges of sexual harassment and misconduct from female national campers, which are being probed by the committee, among other administrative and financial mismanagement issues plaguing the federation. Several prominent wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sarita Mor, Anshu Malik and Sangeeta Phogat had held a three-day long agitation against Singh at Jantar Mantar last month.
UWW has communicated its decision to the sports ministry-appointed oversight committee, headed by legendary boxer M C Mary Kom, sources confirmed to TOI on Wednesday evening. There hasn’t been any official communication from either the oversight committee or the UWW informing the same.
The world body will soon be announcing a new host city for the continental meet where Indian wrestlers will be allowed to participate. It’s been learnt that the six-member committee did try to convince the UWW not to move out the championships from India and even bargained for its postponement. But, the UWW rejected the request after receiving complaints in strict confidentiality from female wrestlers against Singh.
The other reason which the UWW cited was the ongoing probe into the allegations and the likely delay in submitting the findings to the government, which could have created problems for the world body as organisers.
Singh is facing charges of sexual harassment and misconduct from female national campers, which are being probed by the committee, among other administrative and financial mismanagement issues plaguing the federation. Several prominent wrestlers including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sarita Mor, Anshu Malik and Sangeeta Phogat had held a three-day long agitation against Singh at Jantar Mantar last month.
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