The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has denied all allegations of mismanagement and sexual harassment against its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. In a reply to Ministry of Youth Affairs, the WFI said that "there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement" in the sports body.
"The WFI is managed by an elected body as per its constitution, and therefore, there is no scope for arbitrariness and mismanagement in WFI by any one individually, including the president," the WFI said in its response to the sports ministry.
"The WFI, in particular, under the sitting president has always acted keeping the best interests of wrestlers in mind.
"The WFI has enhanced the image of wrestling sport nationally as well as internationally and for the record of this ministry, it is not possible without fair, supportive, clean and strict management of WFI," it added.
The WFI has informed the government that a sexual harassment committee exists and it has never received any complaints in the past. The committee also includes Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik who is one of the prominent faces of the protests at Jantar Mantar, Delhi.
The WFI has further claimed that the protest is being led and joined by wrestlers of one particular state (Haryana). The federation also feels that the protests are motivated by vested interest since the elections for the WFI are due later this year.
