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It is going to be close to six months now since India’s decorated wrestlers began protesting in full public view.
The Sports Ministry and the Union Government played a part in bringing the protests to a close in January. A committee was formed and they were tasked with the job of finding the truth behind the allegations.
The allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan were grave and required a proper investigation. It meant that the wrestlers had nothing except a proper punitive action against Sharan more than anything else.
When the action was not done in accordance with what the wrestlers expected they were back at the protest site. The Supreme Court got involved, the Delhi police reacted belatedly and finally, the drama got murkier than ever.
The events of 28 May 2023 were shameful to say the least. The way decorated wrestlers were dragged on the streets of the National capital was a crying shame for everyone watching from afar. The wrestlers needed to be handled much better than they were by the police and the authorities.
Could they not have been spoken to by those in power? Could they not be given a patient hearing? Afterall, they are medallists who bring glory to the country. The allegations against Sharan need to be proved, but that does not mean the wrestlers need to be treated this way by anyone, let alone the police.
It is a crying shame that not many from the sporting fraternity have stood up and demanded better treatment for the wrestlers. No one seems to care for them right now. In a few months when the Asian Games will be staged everyone will be happy to click selfies with them once they win medals.
Is this how we treat our champion athletes? We often wonder why we are not a sporting nation, well these kinds of things do not help matters.
To impute motives to the wrestlers and wonder why they are protesting is defeating the whole purpose. Things came to a head and the wrestlers threatened to throw their medals in the Holy Ganga. If that had happened then it would have been akin to what the great Muhammad Ali did all those years ago.
To see the wrestlers in tears on 28 May is something that should pain and shame all of us in India and around the world. Their images were morphed to give the impression that it was all a sham protest.
When they reached the Ganga, they had face masks just to avoid getting their pictures morphed by the trolls. This is where we have reached.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) which hosts the much-celebrated Congress later this year in Mumbai watches in horror. The world governing body for wrestling has also spoken and warned of action against WFI.
What else do we need to do? A final sanction and ban for the federation from the global body? Or are we waiting for something grave?
The time to act is now, do not delay!
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