Junior wrestlers stage protest over losing a 'crucial' year in their careers

The ongoing crisis in Indian wrestling took a new twist on Wednesday when hundreds of junior wrestlers assembled at Jantar Mantar for a symbolic threehour protest against the loss of one crucial year of their careers a situation for which they blamed top grapplers Bajrang Punia Sakshi Malik and Vinesh PhogatLoaded in buses the junior wrestlers arrived from different parts of Uttar Pradesh Haryana and Delhi catching the police unawaresWrestlers protest Slogans raised against OlympiansClose to 300 of them came from Arya Samaj Akhara in Chhaprauli Baghpat while many others came from the Virender Wrestling Academy in Narela The security personnel struggled to control them as they shouted slogans against Punia Malik and PhogatBraving cold conditions the junior wrestlers arrived at Jantar Mantar at 11am and left after three hours with a warning that if the government does not lift the WFI suspension within 10 days they will start returning their awardsThe protesters were carrying banners that read UWW United World Wrestling save our wrestling from these 3 wrestlersSoon after the election of new officebearers the Wrestling Federation of India WFI announced the hosting of the Under15 and Under20 Nationals in Gonda UP but the ministry suspended the body leading to the cancellation of the proposed tournamentWATCH Young wrestlers hold protests against Olympicwinning wrestlers Sakshee Malikkh Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia at Delhis Jantar Mantar pictwittercom5yHVsksKp8mdash ANI ANI January 3 2024Several wrestlers who could have competed in the junior categories for one last time lost the opportunityIt was a symbolic protest We are giving 10 days time to the government to revoke the suspension of the new WFI and allow it to hold age group nationalsIf they dont do it we will start returning our Arjuna and other awards to the government just like Bajrang and Vinesh have done said GrecoRoman wrestler Sunil Rana who is an Arjuna awardee and a bronze medallist from the 2023 Asian GamesMuzaffarnagar stadium coach Pradeep Kumar said More than 90 per cent of Akharas training centres in UP are with us in this protest There are only three wrestlers on one side and lakhs on the other They have spoilt the careers of lakhs of wrestlers across the countryThese people have no respect for national awards They are leaving them on the roads Kumar added referring to Punia and Phogat returning their government honoursThey kept saying that they were protesting for women and junior wrestlers but they have spoilt careers of lakhs after earning all the laurels Their protest is only to get top WFI posts Once that happens they will stop all protests added KumarAlso Read Whatrsquos sports without patriarchyWrestlers protest Fresh crisis erupts within Indian wrestlingIronically almost a year back at the same protest site the top three wrestlers had managed to draw huge support for their cause when they called for the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh accusing him of sexually harassing women wrestlersThousands of people from different sections of society including farmers groups social workers politicians womens groups and members of the wrestling fraternity came out to support Sakshi Vinesh and BajrangThe three are now facing protests from within their community with those assembled at Jantar Mantar accusing them of ruining their careersSince January 2023 national camps and competitions have been on hold as the WFI has been suspended twice and an adhoc panel is running the sportAn entire year for these junior wrestlers has gone waste The new WFI had taken the decision for the welfare of the wrestlers who had not seen even district or statelevel competitions leave aside the nationals said Vivek Malik who belongs to the Arya Samaj Akhara in BaghpatBut the new body was suspended This body was elected on the instructions of the court but it wasnt allowed to work and prove itself even for three days The suspension should be lifted and the WFI should be allowed to functionAlso ReadSilence is lsquonotrsquo goldenThey had the task of completing the wrestling calender before December 31 so what wrong did they do to warrant the suspension he askedThose protesting on Wednesday demanded that the suspended WFI be restored after disbanding the adhoc panel which has been appointed by the sports ministryThe protesters also defaced the placards bearing images of Punia Malik and Phogat before trampling themIn a memorandum Sunil Rana coach Naresh Dahiya wrestlers Nikki and Varun Gujjar apart from Rajendra pehlwan demanded that the government should listen to not just the three wresters but the entire fraternityWe request that the government lifts WFI suspension and take strict action against the wrestlers who insulted the government honours by leaving their awards on the roadPunia had returned his Padma Shri while Vinesh had returned her Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards saying that these awards mean nothing when they are struggling to get justiceWith agency inputs