Former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly weighed in on the wrestlers’ ongoing protests against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on Friday. He acknowledged his incomplete understanding of the circumstances and expressed hope for a peaceful outcome. “Let them wage their own war. I only read the news to keep up with what’s going on there. In the realm of athletics, I’ve learned one important lesson: you shouldn’t discuss subjects you don’t fully understand, said Ganguly at a press conference.
The wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik, have been protesting against Singh for three months, alleging sexual harassment and intimidation. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has not yet finished looking into the charges, and the government-established monitoring panel has not yet made its conclusions public. On April 23, the wrestlers renewed their demonstration at Jantar Mantar and went to the Supreme Court to seek Singh’s arrest since they were fed up with the lack of progress.
The former track and field and Olympian from India, PT Usha, expressed her displeasure with the wrestlers’ protest choice. She advised that rather than taking to the streets, they ought to have spoken with the IOA committee. “Our impression is that the IOA has a committee and an athletes’ commission for accusations of sexual harassment. They should have come to us instead of going to the street (again), but they haven’t at all come to IOA,” Usha told reporters.
Usha stressed the need for discipline when asked if the IOA would approach the wrestlers since they were resolute about staying at the protest site until their demands were granted.
The wrestlers’ protests are still ongoing, and the authorities are still unable to resolve the problem. While this is going on, sports fans hope for a calm conclusion that will ensure justice is done while allowing the wrestlers to return to their sport.