Wrestlers Call Off Protest Against WFI After Meeting With Sports Minister
"After receiving the assurance from our Sports Minister, we have decided to call off the protest," said Punia.
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Indian wrestlers called off their protest late on Friday evening after a second meeting at the Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur's residence in the national capital.
The meeting lasted beyond midnight, following which wrestler Bajrang Punia announced to the media that the other wrestlers are calling off the protest after assurance of action from Thakur against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The wrestlers have been staging a protest since Wednesday, accusing WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment of women wrestlers, sponsorship fund embezzlement, and athletes' mismanagement.
"After receiving the assurance from our Sports Minister, we have decided to call off the protest," said Punia.
The meeting at the Sports Minister's residence lasted for more than five hours after the wrestlers – Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya, Deepak Punia, and others – reached at 7 PM.
Thakur said that his Ministry have listened to the grievances of the wrestlers and steps will be taken accordingly, while adding that demands of the wrestlers will be taken care of.
"I want to thank all the players as they have provided us with valuable inputs and our discussions have been about taking forward the sports. We have seen changes in multiple sports federations in the recent past and this will be looked upon," he added.
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