New Delhi: Days after condemning wrestlers to stage a protest against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha reached Jantar Mantar in the national capital.
In a video shared by the news agency ANI, the IOA president was seen sitting with top wrestler Vinesh Phogat who actively charged against the WFI chief alleging the latter of sexually abusing female athletes and coaches.
#WATCH | Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha reached Delhi's Jantar Mantar where wrestlers are protesting since 11 days. pic.twitter.com/Vs3Lp1ZHaO
— ANI (@ANI) May 3, 2023
“Political Mouthpiece”
On April 27, PT Usha who is a Rajya Sabha member frowned upon the grapplers for hitting the road saying that they lack discipline. She added that the wrestlers’ action has tarnished the image of India.
However, Usha faced a backlash over her remarks from the Opposition, wrestlers and other athletes, who found her statement against the ‘spirit of sports’ and said that the IOA president has become a “political mouthpiece”.
PT Usha faces backlash over controversial remarks
Althletes including Vinesh Phogat and Olympian Bajrang punia also reacted to Usha’s comment saying that they expected support from her but whatever they recieved that was uncalled for.
“Recently, she was tweeting that there were some people trying to occupy land of her academy (the Usha School of Athletics, in Balussery, Kerala) and resorting to hooliganism there. At that time the country’s image was not getting tarnished?” said Bajrang Punia.
“That was also a matter pertaining to an international athlete. We were also sad to hear of the academy incident. She’s such a big athlete, and now a Rajya Sabha MP, but even then this was happening to her. If such things can happen to a parliamentarian, we’re just ordinary athletes. What power do we have? Anything can happen to us, she should have thought of that,” asked Bajrang, a Tokyo Olympics gold medallist,” he asked.
“When Olympic medallists from the nation are sitting on the streets in protest, I think PT Usha ma’am should have come to us. She should have asked us why we were in tears,” said Vinesh Phogat.
