Usha mentioned that the nation has been introduced into disrepute by the wrestlers’ dharna at Jantar Mantar. He mentioned he ought to have approached the Athletes’ Fee of the IOA along with his grievance earlier than staging the protest, which entered its fifth day on Thursday. Usha additionally known as upon the wrestlers to be “disciplined”.
“IOA has an Athletes Fee. These wrestlers ought to have come to us as an alternative of hitting the streets. Athletes have to be disciplined. If his downside was real, he ought to have come to our Athletes Fee. What they’re doing is just not good for the picture of the nation. Hitting the streets is just not good for Indian sports activities. -Conduct the day-to-day affairs and elections of the physique inside 45 days of its formation.
Usha expressed dismay over the try by the wrestlers to present a political colour to the agitation. “These protesting are well-known wrestlers who’ve introduced laurels to the nation. They’ve an equal accountability to guard the pursuits of our recreation and sportspersons and the picture of our nation. Nonetheless, they’re sitting on dharna, asking all political events to hitch them, and many others., which disappoints me,” mentioned Usha.
Shocked by his feedback, protesting wrestlers led by Olympian Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat And Sakshi MalikHitting again at Usha, she sought to respect her motion to avoid wasting future generations of feminine wrestlers from dealing with sexual harassment.
“I’m deeply shocked to listen to such feedback from a veteran athlete like Usha Mam. We have now grown up idolizing him and respecting his achievements. She was a job mannequin for us. She herself has been the primary feminine athlete to have such a distinguished profession. How can she not perceive the plight of ladies sportspersons who’re demanding justice and spending nights within the open. If she can not respect our emotions then we must always not respect her. If she desires respect from us, then she must also respect the pursuits of the wrestlers. At present his remark has troubled me quite a bit. Not that we did not attempt to name him. I known as him on his private quantity. He did not reply my name. She doesn’t respect the feelings of the athletes.
Bajrang mentioned, “Not too long ago, Usha ma’am tweeted that some individuals tried to illegally occupy the land of her academy by resorting to hooliganism. Inform me, wasn’t the nation’s picture getting tarnished at the moment?” If being a nominated Rajya Sabha MP on a BJP ticket, she can not save the land of her academy, how will you anticipate strange wrestlers like us to combat towards (Brijbhushan) Singh and win. Usha ma’am has disenchanted our whole group along with her assertion.”
Earlier, IOA Joint Secretary and Appearing CEO Kalyan Choubey had additionally slammed the wrestlers for demonstrating on the streets. “We have now not but obtained the report from our (seven-member fact-finding) committee. However these protests are usually not good for the picture of the nation. We’re the fifth largest economic system on this planet and sport is the medium by means of which you attain out to all elements of the world. This protest is just not serving to India as a nation. Nowadays of social media, think about how this impacts the picture of a rustic? You aren’t combating towards a federation or its president, you might be harming the picture of the nation.
We gave each protesting athlete a case: Thakur
Union Sports activities Minister Anurag Singh Thakur for the primary time on Thursday spoke on the present protest by wrestlers. He mentioned that the welfare of sports activities and athletes has at all times been a precedence for this authorities. “Some wrestlers are protesting at Jantar Mantar. I spent 12 hours with him – seven hours on the primary day and 5 hours the following day (in January). I had heard all their complaints, held a press convention at 2-2.30 pm, talked to them and shaped a committee. He had requested so as to add a member and named Babita Phogat, and we included her within the committee. We needed a good probe,” Thakur mentioned at a press convention in Shimla.
Anybody who wished to current their case earlier than the Monitoring Committee was given an opportunity to take action, there have been no restrictions. We additionally prolonged the deadline for the inquiry, 14 conferences had been held. The one who needed to come, got here. We gave each athlete an opportunity to current their facet.”