In an unparalleled transfer, most sensible achievers comparable to Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik staged a sit-in protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in January and accused the WFI boss of sexual exploitation and intimidation.
The wrestlers had demanded that WFI be disbanded and its president be got rid of.
The Sports Ministry had shaped a five-member oversight committee, headed via mythical boxer MC Mary Komon January 23 and requested it to publish its findings in a single month.
Later, it prolonged the time limit via two weeks and in addition added Babita Phogat to the probe panel as its 6th member at the insistence of the protesting wrestlers.
The committee submitted its document within the first week of April however the ministry is but to make its findings public.
However, more than one resources showed that the wrestlers may no longer end up the sexual harassment allegations towards the WFI boss after a number of hearings.
“The wrestlers could not prove their sexual harassment allegations. During the probe, it was alleged that one female physio (name withheld) was asked by Brij Bhushan to give him massage to treat his back pain last year in Bulgaria during a competition. However, during the hearing, the same physio denied any such incident,” a supply informed PTI on Thursday.
“Instead, she revealed that all Brij Bhushan wanted was a painkiller for headache and when she offered one, and was accompanied by a female coach at that time, the WFI boss even refused to take tablet ‘disprin’.
“It used to be male trainer Anil who had in reality helped Brij Bhushan.”
WFI officials, however, did not make any official comment when approached.
It has also been learned that Vinesh and Sakshi have submitted written affidavits to the IOA probe panel, which is investigating the allegations separately, but ended up submitting wrong information.
“In her affidavit, Vinesh claimed that Brij Bhushan touched her inappropriately in Turkey in 2015. However, later it used to be discovered that Vinesh had no longer competed in Turkey that yr. Later she mentioned it in reality came about in 2016 and in Mongolia.
“Sakshi in her affidavit wrote that Brij Bhushan hugged her in 2015. Brij Bhushan sensed her discomfort and said that he hugged her like a father.”
According to every other supply, a couple of former feminine wrestlers mentioned that Brij Bhushan requested for his or her numbers but if requested if he ever referred to as them, they responded within the damaging.
“They said Brij Bhushah clicked pictures with them with his hands on their shoulders but could not produce those pictures when demanded by the panel,” mentioned the supply.
Not handiest Brij Bhushan however a couple of coaches additionally confronted allegations. One such trainer used to be the Greco-Roman teacher. Mahavir Prasad,
The Dronacharya awardee used to be requested via the panel why he visited Vinesh’s house after her debacle within the Tokyo Olympics. To which he responded that he sought after to mention a couple of motivating phrases as a result of he felt that the highest wrestler used to be going via a tricky length.
Vinesh had made a surprise first spherical go out from the Olympics and used to be later suspended via the WFI for indiscipline. She had printed that she used to be affected by despair and used to be suffering badly to deal with the location.
“Mahabir replied that he was not alone when he paid a visit to Vinesh. He was accompanied by a coach and a journalist, so there was no question of having any ill will in him meeting Vinesh,” mentioned a supply.
It has additionally been discovered that two SAI officers had long past to the Sonepat centre, the place the educational camp for male wrestlers is held, to “extract” opposed statements from the coaches towards Brij Bhushan.
“When an oversight committee was probing the matter, what the SAI officials were doing there at Sonepat SAI centre. Even a relative of one of the members of the committee was also there. How did the SAI center allow that relative inside the SAI complex? He was not part of the camp,” mentioned the supply.
Calls to SAI officers, together with Director General Sandeep Pradhanwent unanswered.