United World Wrestling (UWW), the international governing body for amateur wrestling, has strongly condemned the recent arrest and temporary detention of leading Indian wrestlers during a protest march. UWW has expressed great concern over the allegations of abuse and harassment by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The governing body has threatened to suspend the WFI if the pending elections are not held within the stipulated time. In a statement, UWW denounced the treatment and detention of the wrestlers, expressing disappointment over the lack of progress in the investigations so far. The organization is urging relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations. UWW plans to meet the protesting Indian wrestlers to inquire about their safety and reaffirm its support for a fair resolution of their concerns. Furthermore, UWW will seek information about WFI’s elections from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Ad-Hoc Committee, which currently oversees WFI’s operations.
The organization has set a 45-day deadline for holding the elective general assembly, and failure to comply may result in the suspension of the federation, leading athletes to compete under a neutral flag. It’s worth noting that UWW has already taken action by reallocating the Asian Championship, originally planned in New Delhi earlier this year. Meanwhile, in response to the Indian government’s handling of the situation, the protesting wrestlers have decided to throw their medals into the Ganga river in Haridwar and initiate an indefinite hunger strike at India Gate, New Delhi.