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The world wrestling governing body, United World Wrestling (UWW), released a statement on Tuesday, May 30, which condemns the treatment of the wrestlers during their protest against the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Brij Bhushan has been accused of sexual and mental harassment and the protests have been ongoing for over a month. The UWW HAVE taken note of the events while also expressing their disappointment over the detention of the wrestlers at the protest site.
The protestors were at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for over a month before they were cleared out on Sunday, May 28.
The UWW also threatened to suspend the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) if they did not provide information about the next elective general assembly. A 45-day deadline to hold the next elective general assembly was set in January after the Sports Ministry suspended the WFI and their activities.
This statement came hours after star Indian grapplers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik travelled to Haridwar to throw their international medals after not getting any responses from the government. However, in a turn of events, the wrestlers decided to give their medals to Naresh Tikait, while handing the government a five-day ultimatum to respond to their requests.
"The 45-day deadline that was initially set to hold this elective assembly shall be respected. Failing to do so may lead UWW to suspend the federation, thereby forcing the athletes to compete under a neutral flag. It is reminded that UWW already took a measure in this situation by reallocating the Asian Championship planned in New Delhi earlier this year," UWW said in the statement.
UWW condemns treatment of wrestlers
In their statement, the UWW wrote, "The events of these last days are even more worrying that the wrestlers were arrested and temporarily detained by the police for initiating a march of protest. The site where they had been protesting for more than a month has also been cleared out by the authorities," UWW said, adding that its officials would meet the protesting wrestlers in the coming days.
"UWW firmly condemns the treatment and detention of the wrestlers. It expresses its disappointment over the lack of results of the investigations so far. UWW urges the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations."
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