Over three months after India's greatest and most successful wrestlers took a united stand against the Wrestling Federation of India's (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and made allegations of sexual and mental harassment, the wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday, 23 April following the lack of any follow-up by the Sports Ministry.
The ministry's Oversight Committee was scheduled to have submitted their findings into the matter in February, but two months later, there has been no action taken by Anurag Thakur.
As the protests continue, with the case now reaching the Supreme Court, here's a timeline of everything that's transpired since January.
18 January: Wrestlers Start Protest at Jantar Mantar, Make Allegations Against Brij Bhushan
Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik were among 30-odd wrestlers who gathered at Delhi's Jantar Mantar at 10am on 18 January in protest of the WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh."Our fight is against WFI. We will share details later in the day. Yeh ab aar paar ki ladai hai," Bajrang Punia told PTI in their only communication with the media in the morning.
At 5pm that day, seated in front of the waiting media, India's greatest wrestlers made grave allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
'Why is the women's wrestling camp always held in Lucknow when most wrestlers are from UP and Haryana? The men's camp happens in Sonipat. It's because he (Brij Bhushan) lives there and can harass women easily, as he can access the SAI centre easily,' said Vinesh and Sakshi as they went onto share their fear for their lives. 'We receive death threats for the smallest of things from his men,' further revealed Vinesh.
Phogat also shared that she had been subjected to mental harassment by Brij Bushan, saying she had even contemplated suicide after the BFI's chief's treatment of her following the Tokyo Olympics.
18 January: Brij Bhushan Denies Claims
Hours after the press conference, Brij Bhushan Sharan denied all allegations of sexual harassment.
"I will talk to the players. I am ready to face any kind of investigation. Sexual harassment never happened. If even one athlete comes forward and proves this, I will hang myself," he said.
18 January: Sports Ministry Gives WFI & Chief 72 Hours to Reply
Following the allegations of the wrestlers, the Sports Ministry sought an explanation from the WFI within 72 hours, failing which it "will proceed to initiate action against the federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011".
"Taking cognisance of the protest in which wrestlers have levelled serious charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the President and coaches of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation, the Sports Ministry has sought an explanation from WFI and directed it to furnish a reply within the next 72 hours on the allegations made," the sports ministry said in a statement.
19 January: Wrestlers Meet Ministry Officials in The Morning, Continue Protest
The wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar on Thursday morning and were joined by BJP member and former wrestler Babita Phogat. Hours later, the wrestlers left the protest site for the Sports Ministry where they were invited to speak with officials.
The meeting however did not yield results as the grapplers continued their protest and said they did not receive a ''satisfactory response''.
"We not only want the resignation of WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan, we also demand the federation to be dissolved. If there is only resignation, then it will make its men sit again," Bajrang Punia said to the waiting media.
"We have five to six girls who have evidence of sexual harassment and are ready to file an FIR against the WFI chief on sexual harassment case. If our words are not heard, then we will take the help of the police and also file a case," the Olympic medallist added.
19 January: Wrestlers Meet Anurag Thakur at Night
Later that night, a delegation of wrestlers met Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his residence to discuss the sexual harassment allegations.
The four-hour meeting, however, ended without a statement or resolution.
Wrestlers' official letter to IOA president, PT Usha.
(Photo: Twitter/Phogat_Vinesh)
20 January: Wrestlers Make Official Complaint to IOA
On Friday morning, the third day of their protest, the wrestlers share on social media the letter they collectively had submitted to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha regarding the "sexual harassment" complaints against Wrestling Federation India chief Brij Bhushan Saran Singh.
The letter signed by Bajrang, Vinesh, Sakshi, Ravi Dahiya, and Deepak demands the resignation of the WFI chief and the formation of an inquiry committee on the allegations of sexual harassment. The letter further states that Vinesh was mentally harassed and tortured by the WFI President after she missed out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo, which led her to almost contemplate suicide.
They also made four demands- requesting the IOA to immediately appoint a committee to enquire into the complaints of sexual harassment. They asked for the dissolution of the WFI and the resignation of the WFI President. They also demanded a new committee to be formed to run the affairs of the WFI in consultation with the wrestlers.
20 January: IOA Form Seven-Member Panel
Following the complaint, Indian Olympic Association called an emergency executive council meeting which was attended by the likes of Abhinav Bindra, Yogeshwar along with IOA president P.T. Usha and joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey. Shiva Keshvan was a special invitee at the meeting.
A decision was taken to form a seven-member committee comprising boxer M.C. Mary Kom, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, archer Dola Banerjee, Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) president Sahdev Yadav, Alaknanda Ashok, and two advocates.
20 January: WFI Submit Reply to Sports Ministry
Ahead of the 72-hour deadline given to them by the Sports Ministry to reply to the wrestlers' allegations, the WFI submit an eight page letter mainly addresses allegations of 'arbitrariness and mismanagement of WFI' while also denying all allegations of sexual harassment by the president.
'Not any single allegation of sexual harassment is accepted nor has ever been noticed nor found nor so far complained nor reported to sexual harassment committee to WFI,' the letter, signed by the federation's General Secretary VN Prasood said.
Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan had called for a press conference earlier in the day in Gonda, UP but after hours of waiting, his son Prateek Bhushan informs the waiting media that the WFI chief will not be speaking on the day but will instead make a statement on Sunday, after the WFI's AGM.
Anurag Thakur and the wrestlers spoke to the media in the late hours of Friday night.
(Photo: PTI)
20 January: Wrestlers Call Off Protest After Late Night Meeting With Thakur
The wrestlers met with Anurag Thakur again on Friday night and the 7pm meeting lasted more than five hours but when the wrestlers and Anurag Thakur stepped out past midnight to speak to the media, it was to announce that the protest was being called off, pending an investigation.
"After receiving the assurance from our Sports Minister, we have decided to call off the protest," said Bajrang Punia while seating alongside Thakur, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik.
"The demands put in by the wrestlers will be taken care of. We will constitute an oversight committee to investigate and it will also look into the daily affairs of the federation and the WFI President will step aside till the probe goes on. He will also cooperate in the investigation," said the Sports Minister.
Brij Bhushan is also forced to call off the WFI AGM scheduled for Sunday.
23 January: Mary Kom to Head Oversight Committee
World champion and Olympic bronze medallist MC Mary Kom was named the head of the government-appointed five-member Oversight Committee for the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) which was given one month to submit their findings. The committee will also comprise Olympic bronze medallist grappler Yogeshwar Dutt and former India badminton star Trupti Murgunde as key members.
Former CEO of Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Capt Rajagopalan and former SAI Executive Director (Teams) Radhika Sreeman were also named in the committee
31 January: Babita Phogat Joins Oversight Committee
Following complaints of the protesting wrestlers at not being consulted before the formation of the Oversight Commitee, former Indian wrestler Babita Phogat was added to the panel as the sixth member.
"Former wrestler Babita Phogat has been added to the panel of the Oversight Committee formed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to undertake the day-to-day administration of the Wrestling Federation of India," the Sports Ministry said in a statement.
23 February: Committee Given Two More Weeks
MC Mary Kom-led Oversight Committee is given a two week extension for their investigation against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
"The Ministry Of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has extended the term of the Oversight Committee for Wrestling by two weeks for submission of the report pertaining to the complaint filed by a group of wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India. The extension has been granted on request from the Oversight Committee," the ministry said in a statement.
12 April: Bajrang, Vinesh Skip Training Camp
After requesting to train in Kyrgyzstan and Poland for the upcoming season, Bajrang and Vinesh pulled out of the trip in protest of the Sports Ministry's delay in announcing the findings of the Oversight Committee's report.
"They (Bajrang, Vinesh) are really upset with the way things have been handled so far. Now they are saying that they will not train till the committee submits its report and Brij Bhushan is sacked," a source was quoted as saying by IANS.
Bajrang had requested to train in Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan for 16 days while Vinesh had wanted to train at the Olympic Preparation Center in Spala (Poland) for 11 days.
Indian wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik during a press conference regarding wrestlers' protest at Jantar Mantar, in New Delhi, Sunday, April 23, 2023.
(Photo: PTI)
23 April: Wrestlers Return to Start Protests
Almost two months after the Oversight Committee was originally scheduled to submit their findings in the allegations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, India's top wrestlers returned to New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on 23 April to re-start their protest against the WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Sakshi and Vinesh revealed to the media that seven female wrestlers, including a minor, had come forward to complain against Brij Bhushan but the Connaught Place Police Station had refused to file an FIR on 21 April.
"We made a complaint at CP Police Station. It has been two days, but no FIR has been registered yet. Seven women complained, which also includes a minor. It makes for a POSCO case, but nothing has been done yet," said Sakshi Malik.
"The committee should tell us what their decision is. It hasn't happened yet. At least, we should know if we were wrong, or who was wrong," she added.
24 April: Wrestlers Move SC for FIR
On Monday, the wrestlers moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction for to register the FIR against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
According to the plea, Phogat and other wrestlers have cited an inordinate delay in registration of an FIR by Delhi Police against the WFI chief and urged the apex court to issue a direction to police to lodge a case against him.
24 April: IOA to Ensure Transparent WFI Polls
While the Sports Ministry remained silent on the matter of the findings of the Oversight Committee, it did request the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to constitute an Ad-hoc Committee to conduct fresh elections and manage affairs of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The Ministry has declared as null and void the elections for the WFI that were scheduled on 7 May.
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