Abhinav Bindra, India's pioneering individual Olympic gold medalist in shooting, has strongly condemned the police action taken against the nation's esteemed wrestlers at Jantar Mantar. He expressed profound distress over the disturbing images, revealing that they had caused him sleepless nights and haunting thoughts.
The incident involved eminent athletes who had won medals at the Olympics and World Championships, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sangeeta Phogat, along with their supporters. They breached the security perimeter as they marched towards the newly built Parliament building to hold a planned women's 'Mahapanchayat'.
The wrestlers are demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the outgoing president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), on charges of sexually harassing several women wrestlers, including a minor. They had scheduled the women's Mahapanchayat during the inauguration of the new Parliament building by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Last night was sleepless, haunted by the horrifying images of my fellow Indian wrestlers protesting. It's high time we establish independent safeguarding measures across sporting organizations. We must ensure that if such situations arise, they are dealt with utmost sensitivity_
— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) May 29, 2023
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Abhinav Bindra's condemnation of the police action emphasizes his concern for the wrestlers' treatment and his empathy for their cause. It reflects the importance of athletes raising their voices against injustice and standing in solidarity with their fellow sportspeople. "Last night, I couldn't sleep, haunted by the horrifying images of my fellow Indian wrestlers protesting," tweeted Bindra, while India's most successful footballer, Sunil Chhetri, and former India all-rounder, Irfan Pathan, also criticized the treatment of the wrestlers.
"It's high time we establish independent safeguarding measures across sporting organizations. We must ensure that if such situations arise, they are dealt with utmost sensitivity and respect. Every athlete deserves a safe and empowering environment," added Bindra, who secured the gold medal in air rifle shooting at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
On Sunday, as the wrestlers attempted to breach the barricades and march towards the new Parliament building from Jantar Mantar, the police personnel forcibly pushed and shoved them before detaining them and transporting them to different police stations in Delhi.
Vinesh vehemently resisted her detention, while Sangeeta clung to her cousin, lying on the road, as the struggle persisted for several minutes. The police officials forcibly dragged and lifted them into buses, along with several other wrestlers and their supporters.
Although they were released after seven hours of detention, the incident left many athletes from various disciplines deeply distressed. "Why must our wrestlers be treated in such an inconsiderate manner? This is not how anyone should be treated. I genuinely hope that this entire situation is evaluated with the gravity it deserves," said Sunil Chhetri, the captain of the Indian football team.
Irfan Pathan expressed the urgent need for a prompt resolution to the issue. "I'm deeply saddened to witness the visuals of our athletes... Please resolve this as soon as possible," Pathan tweeted.
