Hyderabad: The Wrestling Federation of India’s election was held at the Indian Olympic Association headquarters here on December 21 (Thursday). The results were declared by the committee and Brij Bhushan Singh's close aide Sanjay Singh was appointed as the president of the federation.
Here is the timeline of the chain of events that led to the suspension of WFI by United World of Wrestling, the international governing body for wrestling.
January 18: Grapplers started to protest at Jantar Mantar, accusing WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan of sexual exploitation and intimidation, demanding his resignation and dissolution of the federation.
*Brij Bhushan rejected all the charges.
January 19: Babita Phogat, Commonwealth Games champion wrestler and BJP member discussed the issue with wrestlers and assured them that she would speak to the government.
*Protesting wrestlers visit Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his residence, but the results are nothing.
January 20: Continuing their protest, Bajarang Punia, Sakshi Malik and other wrestlers demanded the formation of an inquiry committee to probe the allegations and the appointment of a new committee to run WFI in consultation with the wrestlers, writing a complaint letter to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha.
*IOA formed a seven-member committee, including M C Mary Kom, to investigate the allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan.
January 21: Wrestlers abandoned the protest late at night after meeting Sports Minister Anurag Thakur.
*The sports minister said an Oversight Committee will investigate the issue and Brij Bhushan will step aside till the probe is completed.
*WFI submitted a response to the ministry, not in favour of the wrestlers, and denied the allegations of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by its president and coaches.
January 21: The Sports Ministry asked WFI to immediately suspend all ongoing activities, including a ranking tournament in Gonda, UP, and schedule an emergency AGM meeting of WFI.
Assistant secretary of WFI Vinod Tomar handed suspension.
January 23: Formation of a five-member Oversight Committee, led by boxing great MC Mary Kom, to look into the allegations
*The Oversight Committee was given four weeks to complete the probe.
January 24: Protesting wrestlers showed disappointment over the government for not consulting with them on the choice of the committee members.
January 31: Babita Phogat joined the Oversight Committee.
February 23: The Oversight Committee was given two more weeks to probe the allegations.
April 16: WFI overviewed the Oversight Committee's report submitted to the Sports Ministry and announced the elections on May 7. But not made the reports public.
*Brij Bhushan Singh, who completed three four-year terms in office and announced not eligible to contest for the President’s under the Sports Code, says he will not contest for president post.
April 23: Wrestlers returned to Jantar Mantar, claiming the Cannaught Police in Delhi have not booked FIR even after complaining about Brij Bushan Singh, who sexually harassed seven female wrestlers, including a minor.
*Wrestlers asked the Sports Ministry to make the Oversight Committee's findings public.
April 24: Sports Ministry postponed the scheduled May 7 elections of WFI, asking IOA to constitute an ad-hoc committee to conduct the polls within 45 days of its formation and also manage the sports body.
*The absence of a duly constituted Internal Complaints Committee under the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act is one of the 'major findings' in the probe report of the Oversight Committee (OC), said Sports Ministry.
*Protesting wrestlers threaten to approach the top court of the country if an FIR is not lodged against Brij Bhushan.
April 25: The Wrestlers’ protest took a political colour as farmer leaders also entered into it and started to support athletes.
*Wrestlers took the issue to the Supreme Court, seeking registration of FIR against Brij Bhushan. SC issued a notice to Delhi police.
April 27: IOA again formed the three-member panel.
*PT Usha said protesting wrestlers must have displayed some discipline and instead of taking to the streets, should have approached the IOA with their grievances.
April 28: Delhi Police booked two FIRs with sexual harassment allegations leveled by women wrestlers against Brij Bhushan.
*Wrestlers remarked that they will continue their protest against the WFI chief until he is sent behind bars.
May 3: A bloodless fight broke out between the wrestlers and the Delhi Police, leading to head injuries to a couple of protesters.
*Protesters accuse "drunk officials of manhandling" them and "misbehaving" with the female wrestlers. The altercation led to detention while some wrestlers also sustained injuries.
May 4: The Supreme Court shut down the proceedings on a plea by three women wrestlers, who have leveled sexual harassment allegations against Brij Bhushan, after noting that FIRs have been registered and the seven complainants have been provided adequate security.
May 5: Delhi police recorded the statements of wrestlers, who have filed complaints of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan.
May 10: Wrestlers challenged Brij Bhushan to take the NARCO test.
May 11: Police records Brij Bhushan's statement.
