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Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia-led India's top wrestlers have staged a protest against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) at the Jantar Mantar. Beside Punia, other ace wrestlers who are protesting the WFI's high-handed way of functioning are Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, Sonam Malik and Anshu Malik. The protest came after the Federation made it compulsory for all grapplers to attend trials irrespective of their status.
Bajrang took to Twitter to post the pictures of the protest.
“The job of the federation is to support the players, take care of their sporting needs. If there is a problem, it has to be solved. But what if the federation itself creates the problem? Now we have to fight, we will not back down,” Bajrang tweeted.
Meanwhile, Birmingham Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat also expressed her frustration on the Federation’s operation as her tweet read,“ The player wants self-respect and prepares for the Olympics and big games with full vigor, but if the federation does not support them, the morale breaks down. But now we will not bow down. Will fight for our rights."
Rio Olympics' bronze medallist Sakshi Malik also said that the country's wrestling federation has done nothing but let us down.
“Sportspersons work hard to win medals for the country, but the Federation has done nothing but let us down. Players are being harassed by imposing arbitrary laws,” wrestler Sakshi Malik wrote on Twitter.
The ace wrestlers have also issued a stern warning to the WFI that they will not take part in any national and international competitions until their demands are fulfilled.
Meanwhile WFI's spokesperson has said that they had no idea about the happenings.
“We are not aware they were going to protest. It might be due to the fact that wrestlers have to take part in trials to select the team for the world championships,” a spokesperson from the Federation told Sportstar.
