Our wrestlers have staked it all, to rid the Wrestling Federation of India and the sport’s entire set-up in the country of rampant sexual harassment, financial impropriety and mismanagement of athletes.

It’s a shame that some of our most decorated Olympians had to sit on a dharna twice in four months, also approach the Supreme Court, to just get an FIR registered against the Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who’s had several criminal cases against him in the past. In an interview to a YouTube channel, Singh even confessed to having committed a murder, though he’s never been tried for one. 

According to Vinesh Phogat, Singh has sexually harassed hundreds of minor girls who train in wrestling. But when our country’s topmost athletes tried to get an FIR registered against him, Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha accused them of tarnishing India’s image. 

Delhi Police have finally registered two FIRs against Singh, but the wrestlers have announced that they won’t budge from Jantar Mantar until Singh is arrested. It’s the right call. Singh shouldn’t be able to get away by just resigning or completing his term and then getting his son to replace him as a Member of Parliament, as always happens. He should be arrested and tried in court for the charges that have been put against him.  

This is Indian sport’s moment of reckoning. What happens here will decide whether the future of Indian sports will rest in the hands of retired athletes with an in-depth knowledge of the support structure required for athletes to flourish, or with politicians such as Singh who’re known criminals and can get away with anything because of their vote bank. 

Image credits: THE HINDU.