With the Wrestlers still embroiled in a major battle with the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), many athletes and former sportspersons have joined in to lend their support. The latest to voice his concerns against the atrocities that the wrestlers have faced is the 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medal-winning Javelin Thrower Neeraj Chopra.
Neeraj revealed in an emotional tweet that he wants to see his fellow athletes get justice for all that they have achieved for the country and is of the opinion that whatever is happening should never have taken part. He also wants to see the matter resolved in an impartial and transparent manner to ensure that justice is served.
"It hurts me to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. They have worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud. As a nation, we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual, athlete or not. What's happening should never happen. This is a sensitive issue and must be dealt with in an impartial and transparent manner. Pertaining authorities must take quick action in order to ensure that justice is served," read the tweet.
Among the others to join in the protest against the WFI and their disgraced president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was former India skipper Kapil Dev, who wrote on his Instagram story, "“Will they ever get justice?”
Earlier, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha said that the wrestlers protesting on the streets is tarnishing the country’s image and amounts to indiscipline.
"Wrestlers staging protest on streets amounts to indiscipline. It is tarnishing the image of India," Usha told reporters after IOA's Executive Committee meeting.
A three-member adhoc committee comprising of Arjuna Awardee shooter Suma Shirur, Bhupendra Singh Bajwa and retired High Court judge (name not revealed yet) has been formed to conduct WFI elections.
On the same day, Sports Minister Anurag Tahkur said that the government gave the protesting wrestlers enough chances to present their case before the oversight committee. Thakur said that he had always wanted an impartial probe.
"A few wrestlers are sitting in protest at Jantar Mantar. I have spent 12 hours with them -- seven hours on the first day and five hours the next day. I listened to all their grievances, held a press conference at 2-2.30 at night, and formed a committee after talking to them.
"They had asked to add a member and gave Babita Phogat's name and we added her to the committee. There is nothing in our mind, we wanted an impartial probe," Thakur said at a press conference in Shimla.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
'Will they ever get justice?': Kapil Dev comes out in support of protesting wrestlers
IOA President PT Usha slams wrestlers' protest at Jantar Mantar; three-member adhoc committee formed for WFI elections
