Indian wrestlers' protest against WFI, and its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has once again grabbed eyeballs nationwide. At the same time, former Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra is concerned by athletes protesting on the streets.
Hours after star wrestler Vinesh Phogat appealed to sportspersons to join their protest to oust under-fire chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Olympic champion shooter Abhinav Bindra took to social media to announce his solidarity with the athletes. Vinesh and Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik have been sitting on an indefinite protest at Jantar Mantar against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) supremo Singh, who has allegedly harassed seven female wrestlers, including a minor.
Bindra, who has always voiced his opinion in favour of distressed sportspersons, took to Twitter to term the incident "deeply concerning". "As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration," Bindra tweeted.
Bindra said that the administration should address all the concerns raised by top wrestlers. "My heart goes out to all those who have been affected. We must ensure that this issue is handled properly, with the athletes' concerns heard and addressed fairly and independently. This incident highlights the crucial need for a proper safeguarding mechanism that can prevent harassment and ensure justice for those affected. We must work towards creating a safe and secure environment for all athletes to thrive in," he added.
As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration. My heart goes out…
— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra)