Babita Phogat joins Oversight Committee panel formed to probe allegations against WFI

Former wrestler Babita Phogat has been added to the panel of the Oversight Committee formed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to undertake the day-to-day administration of the Wrestling Federation of India.

According to a press release, the Oversight Committee is also doing an inquiry into the allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment and/intimidation, financial irregularities and administrative lapses of the WFI, as leveled by prominent sportspersons.

Babita Phogat now becomes the 6th member of the Oversight Committee, being headed by Khel Ratna Awardee MC Mary Kom, Chairperson, Athletes Commission, Khel Ratna Awardee Yogeshwar Dutt, executive council member, IOA , Dhyanchand awardee Trupti Murgunde, member Mission Olympic Cell, Radhica Sreeman, Ex-Executive Director, TEAMS, Sports Authority of India, and Crd (Retd) Rajesh Rajagopalan, Ex-CEO, Target Olympic Podium Scheme.

Govt appoints Oversight Committee

The government-appointed committee will run the day-to-day affairs of WFI for the next one month. It was formed after agitating wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Anshu Malik, Sangeeta Phogat, and Sonam Malik among others, started the sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar to demand the resignation of the then WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers also demanded that the WFI be disbanded immediately and a new panel is formed, including grapplers in it. 

Image: ANI