Sexual harassment against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh: Mary Kom, Dola Banerjee, Yogeshwar Dutt and Sahdev Yadav part of IOA's committee

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has formed a seven-member committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Members are Mary Kom, Dola Banerjee, Alaknanda Ashok, Yogeshwar Dutt, Sahdev Yadav and two advocates.

This comes after IOA's meeting with the protesting wrestlers, who have levelled charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the WFI president and its coaches and mismanagement in the functioning of the federation.

Earlier in the day, the agitating wrestlers on Friday reached out to the IOA, demanding formation of an enquiry committee to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a day after threatening to lodge multiple FIRs against the WFI President.

In a letter addressed to IOA President PT Usha, the wrestlers alleged financial misappropriation (of funds) on part of the WFI and claimed that the coaches and sports science staff at the National camp are "absolutely incompetent".

Time to WFI till Saturday by Govt

The government has given WFI President 72 hours (till Saturday evening) to respond to the allegations.

Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh while speaking to media in UP, said he won't resign because his position was not at someone's mercy.

When told that wrestlers have said that if they bring everything in public domain it will cause an earthquake, the WFI President said if he will open his mouth (reveal secrets), it will cause a tsunami.

The BJP MP and sports minister will address the media later in the evening.

The WFI also announced that the senior open national ranking tournament, scheduled to be held in Gonda (UP) from January 21-23, will be held as planned and requested all wrestlers to come and compete. 

Several ace wrestlers of the country, including Sakshee Malikkh, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Ravi Dahiya, are participating in the sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, which began on Wednesday.

Wrestlers have levelled charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the WFI president and its coaches and of mismanagement in the functioning of the federation. They have also demanded a complete overhaul of the federation.