Wrestlers should focus on their practice, says Yogeshwar Dutt amid protest

Former Indian wrestler and Olympic medallist Yogeshwar Dutt on Sunday lashed out at the protesting wrestlers and said that as the Delhi police had registered the FIR against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, they should focus on their practice.

Dutt, who is a part of the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) seven-member committee to probe the wrestlers' sexual harassment allegations against the WFI chief, said to ANI, “Police will take action only when you report it to them. They won't do it if one sits at home. I had said earlier too that if they want action, they should report it to the police.”

He further said that the committee was tasked to submit its report after listening to both sides. They are not authorised to punish the accused. The power of sentencing rests only with the court

"The wrestlers should have taken this step 3 months ago. FIR has been registered, now the wrestlers should focus on their practice. Even the Prime Minister does not have the right to punish only the court does", he added.

The Delhi Police on Friday registered two FIRs against Singh over the allegations of sexual harassment of female wrestlers. The move comes six days after the top wrestlers of the country including Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, have been protesting sitting at Delhi's Jantar Mantar – 2nd time since January.

Earlier this week, IOA president and former athlete PT Usha had said that the wrestlers should have approached the IOA earlier instead of going out in the streets against the WFI and its president. She said, "Wrestlers staging protest on streets amounts to indiscipline. It is tarnishing the image of India".

However, the protesting wrestlers sharply reacted to Usha' statement. Bajrang Punia told PTI, "We did not expect such a harsh response from IOA President PT Usha, we expected support from her."