From Wrestlers' Protest To WFI Suspension: Timeline

Wrestling Federation of India suspended by world wrestling body, United World of Wrestling, over failure to conduct elections. The WFI has seen itself being embroiled in controversies, especially since former president Brij Bhushan Sharan was accused of alleged sexual harassment by some wrestlers. The federation was supposed to hold elections in June 2023 but multiple protests kept coming in the way. The following is the timeline of the chain of events that led to the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India by UWW, the sport's global governing body.

January 18:Wrestlers begin protest at Jantar Mantar, accuse WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan of sexual exploitation and intimidation, demand his resignation and dissolution of the federation.

*Brij Bhushan refutes all charges.

January 19:Commonwealth Games champion wrestler and BJP member Babita Phogat meets wrestlers, says she will speak to the government.

*Protesting wrestlers meet Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his residence. No solution is found.

January 20: Continuing their protest, wrestlers write a complaint letter to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha, demand the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the allegations and appointment of a new committee to run WFI in consultation with the wrestlers.

*IOA forms a seven-member committee, including M C Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt, to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan.

January 21:Wrestlers call off protest late in the night after meeting Thakur.

*Sports minister says an Oversight Committee will be formed to probe the allegations and Brij Bhushan will step aside till the probe is completed.

*WFI submits response to ministry, denies allegations of sexual