India's Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has come out in support of the wrestlers protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and asked the authorities concerned to take quick action "to ensure that justice is served".
Some of India's top wrestlers including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik along with Asian and Commonwealth Games medallist Vinesh Phogat are protesting at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, seeking action against WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of women grapplers.
Neeraj Chopra on Friday came out in support of the wrestlers. "It hurts to see our athletes on the streets demanding justice. They have worked hard to represent our great nation and make us proud," said Chopra in a tweet on Friday.
Chopra is the second Indian Olympic gold medallist after shooter Abhinav Bindra to come out in support of the wrestlers. "As a nation, we are responsible for safeguarding the integrity and dignity of every individual, athlete or not," wrote Chopra, who won a gold medal in javelin throw in Tokyo Olympics, becoming the first Indian athlete to win an Olympic medal.
Chopra said whatever has happened should never happen. "This is a sensitive issue, and must be dealt with in an impartial and transparent manner. Pertaining authorities must take quick action in order to ensure that justice is served," he added.
Chopra seems to have responded to a request for support from the protesting wrestlers and his tweet was later retweeted by Vinesh Phogat.
Earlier, Abhinav Bindra had tweeted in support of the protesting wrestlers and said, “As athletes, we train hard every day to represent our country on the international stage. It is deeply concerning to see our athletes finding it necessary to protest on the streets regarding the allegations of harassment in the Indian wrestling administration.”
"My heart goes out to all those who have been affected. We must ensure that this issue is handled properly, with the athletes' concerns heard and addressed fairly and independently. This incident highlights the crucial need for a proper safeguarding mechanism that can prevent harassment and ensure justice for those affected. We must work towards creating a safe and secure environment for all athletes to thrive in," he added.
With IANS inputs