After Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha's "tarnishing India" remark, protesting wrestlers on Thursday criticised her, and stated that "being a woman athlete, she (PT Usha) isn't listening to other women athletes," news agency ANI reported. Slamming the wrestlers who resumed their protest against former chief of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Usha stated: "Wrestlers staging protest on streets amounts to indiscipline. Wrestlers' protest on streets is tarnishing image of India."
Reacting to Usha's remark, protesting wrestler stated: "Being a woman athlete, she (PT Usha) isn't listening to other women athletes. Where's indiscipline here, we are sitting here peacefully...She herself cried in front of the media regarding her academy."
Star wrestlers, including World Championships medalist Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, have continued their indefinite protest at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Sunday. Brij Bhushan was accused of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.
Shocked over PT Usha’s remark, Bajrang Punia said, “We did not expect such a harsh response from IOA President PT Usha, we expected support from her.”
It should be mentioned that the IOA has established a three-member ad hoc panel, led by a yet-to-be-named retired high court judge, to oversee the activities of the WFI until a new body is chosen, including former shooter Suma Shirur and Wushu Association of India chairman Bhupendra Singh Bajwa. After the protest originally erupted in January, the IOA and the government were able to appease the wrestlers by promising to examine their charges against Sharan and the WFI.
According to the protesting wrestlers, they learned via media reports that Brij Bhushan Singh was awarded a clean chit by the committee examining the claims, and the panel's report is currently at the Ministry of Sports and is not being made public despite pleas.