Silent Indian Olympic body cuts a sorry figure

By Adam D Anglo On May 31, 2023

Express News Service

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), sports ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) seem to have no answer to the wrestling mess. The top wrestlers — Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and multiple worlds medallist Vinesh Phogat — are continuing with their protest after a horror Sunday when they were shoved and dragged out of Jantar Mantar by the Delhi police. The wrestlers went to Haridwar to immerse their medals in the Ganges on Tuesday, a gesture that can be considered one of the worst moments in Indian sports. They were acting out of desperation after their demand to arrest sidelined Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh fell on deaf ears even after FIRs including one under the POCSO Act were filed.

Amid all this, what’s most baffling is the lack of communication from the IOA once again. The sports organisation whose ultimate goal is to protect the rights of the athlete is indifferent to players’ plight. That the sports ministry and the SAI would toe the government line is understood but an ‘independent organisation’ like the IOA should be more responsible and rise above politics. The sports ministry and the IOA should have ended the agitation in January but they kept on bungling. The WFI could have been dissolved and fresh elections called in February itself. That IOA had to wait for the ministry to write to them to form an ad-hoc committee and hold elections put them in poor light.

The IOA president, who had visited the protest site last month to lend support to the protesting wrestlers, is once again silent. The acting CEO, who is supposed to speak, is silent too. The Athletes’ Commission seems ornamental. Other members are also inactive. The IOA doesn’t even have an official spokesperson. The UWW has said that WFI could face a ban if the elections are not held within 45 days as promised. The IOA has not even named a returning officer who would conduct the elections. It is understood that the IOC has already sent a letter on wrestling and sought IOA’s response at the latest.

Just to refresh the memory, the IOA formed an ad-hoc committee to look into the affairs of the WFI on April 27 after the sports ministry had written to them. The IOA-appointed Bhupender Singh Bajwa and national shooting coach Suma Shirur. Bajwa is the Wushu Federation of India chief who has also been named as the chef de mission for the Asian Games to be held in September-October this year. Bajwa is expected to be busy with entries and other logistical issues for the Asiad. Shirur, the national rifle coach, is with the senior shooting team that keeps training and competing abroad. She has hardly been present during meetings either.

Even here the IOA seemed to have erred. What seems interesting is that the IOA could not find any other person to be part of the panel from its vast number of members.

<br /> The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), sports ministry and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) seem to have no answer to the wrestling mess. The top wrestlers — Olympic medalists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and multiple worlds medallist Vinesh Phogat — are continuing with their protest after a horror Sunday when they were shoved and dragged out of Jantar Mantar by the Delhi police. The wrestlers went to Haridwar to immerse their medals in the Ganges on Tuesday, a gesture that can be considered one of the worst moments in Indian sports. They were acting out of desperation after their demand to arrest sidelined Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh fell on deaf ears even after FIRs including one under the POCSO Act were filed.</p> <p>Amid all this, what’s most baffling is the lack of communication from the IOA once again. The sports organisation whose ultimate goal is to protect the rights of the athlete is indifferent to players’ plight. That the sports ministry and the SAI would toe the government line is understood but an ‘independent organisation’ like the IOA should be more responsible and rise above politics. The sports ministry and the IOA should have ended the agitation in January but they kept on bungling. The WFI could have been dissolved and fresh elections called in February itself. That IOA had to wait for the ministry to write to them to form an ad-hoc committee and hold elections put them in poor light.</p> <p>The IOA president, who had visited the protest site last month to lend support to the protesting wrestlers, is once again silent. The acting CEO, who is supposed to speak, is silent too. The Athletes’ Commission seems ornamental. Other members are also inactive. The IOA doesn’t even have an official spokesperson. The UWW has said that WFI could face a ban if the elections are not held within 45 days as promised. The IOA has not even named a returning officer who would conduct the elections. It is understood that the IOC has already sent a letter on wrestling and sought IOA’s response at the latest.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });</p>  <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0">  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script>  </div> <p>Just to refresh the memory, the IOA formed an ad-hoc committee to look into the affairs of the WFI on April 27 after the sports ministry had written to them. The IOA-appointed Bhupender Singh Bajwa and national shooting coach Suma Shirur. Bajwa is the Wushu Federation of India chief who has also been named as the chef de mission for the Asian Games to be held in September-October this year. Bajwa is expected to be busy with entries and other logistical issues for the Asiad. Shirur, the national rifle coach, is with the senior shooting team that keeps training and competing abroad. She has hardly been present during meetings either. </p> <p>Even here the IOA seemed to have erred. What seems interesting is that the IOA could not find any other person to be part of the panel from its vast number of members.<br />

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