Former wrestler and Commonwealth Games 2014 gold medallist Babita Phogat has been added to the panel of the existing Oversight Committee formed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports which was formed after a three-day protest from ace wrestlers at Jantar Mantar against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh earlier this month.
In addition to undertaking day-to-day administration, the oversight committee will investigate the allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and intimidation, financial irregularities and administrative lapses of the WFI which were mentioned by wrestlers in their letter to Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha.
The 33-year-old is sixth member of the Oversight Committee which is led by six-time World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist MC Mary Kom, bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt, Dhyanchand awardee Trupti Murgunde, member Mission Olympic Cell, Radhica Sreeman, Ex-Executive Director, Sports Authority of India, and Crd (Retd) Rajesh Rajagopalan.
The new addition to the oversight committee has been announced after wrestlers voiced their displeasure at the newly-formed team, saying that they were not consulted despite being told that they would.
The committee was formed by the Sports Ministry at the behest of sports minister Anurag Thakur, who made the official announcement on Monday, January 23.
The committee was made after the Sports Ministry suspended all the ongoing activities of the WFI with immediate effect unless the Oversight Committee is formally appointed and takes over the day-to-day functioning of the WFI.
The Sports Ministry had asked the WFI to cancel the ongoing Ranking Tournament in Gonda, UP and to return the entry fees charged to participants for the ongoing event.
Also, the Sports Ministry had issued an order to suspend the Assistant Secretary of WFI, Vinod Tomar, with immediate effect, to ensure the proper functioning of WFI.
