PM must break silence on wrestlers’ allegations

Pic/PTI

Mumbai is finding its voice with reference to the wrestlers' protests. There were two meets in succession, reported in this paper, that highlighted the need for citizens to support protesting women wrestlers who have accused a BJP MP and the chief of the Wrestling Federation of sexual harassment.

While investigations are on, many claim that the wrestlers have been left in the lurch because of the accused and his political heft. While one may believe that or not, the point is that wrestlers have been agitating in Delhi in a high-voltage and shameful drama that has captured eyeballs.

The latest reports do say that the government has invited wrestlers for talks, but is time the normally voluble Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes some sort of statement. Top sporting body representatives need to speak up. Taking recourse in silence and politically comfortable placatory statements just doesn't cut it any longer. The bigger and more unfortunate fallout of the wrestling controversy is that parents may not send their daughters to competitive sports events/training camps.

As it is, the avenues are still narrow for girls and women in sports. Though this may not be the only reason, it does play on the mind of families and one may see ambition and talent simply wither away.

Sport at a high level, does require young athletes to stay away from home, to travel to competition venues and train at places away from family. There are athletes
competing at the highest level, who do not go home for a year, because of the demands of sport.

This incident may narrow that window of opportunity for girls; that is a very real possibility. It is important in so many ways that real reassurance, fairness and some amount of transparency are shown so that we close a trust deficit, not the doors to women in sport.