‘Justice should be delivered to athletes’: IOA athletes commission member Karhana

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait with wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sangita Phogat during the wrestlers’ protest at Jantar Mantar. PTi

Om Prakash Karhana, the 2009 shot put Asian champion and Indian Olympic Association’s athletes commission member, has come out in support of the protesting wrestlers, saying that the system should deliver justice to the victims “as soon as possible”.

“I’m not speaking on behalf of the athletes commission but my personal view is that if athletes have come out in the open to fight for their rights, the system in the country should take steps to deliver justice to them as soon as possible,” 36-year-old Karhana told news agency PTI.

“Especially in a case relating to women athletes, the authorities should not sweep anything under the carpet. It’s a serious matter and should be dealt through proper and fair process to find out the truth.

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“It should be black and white regarding who is doing wrong things — whether the accused or the accusor,” said the 2012 London Olympian who has a personal best of 20.69m.

Read: Protest expanding like Shaheen Bagh, target isn’t me but BJP: Brij Bhushan

The wrestlers, who have accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment, are on protest since 23 April. This is the second time top wrestlers including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia are sitting on protest against the WFI head. The protest was first launched in January and was suspended after the Sports Ministry created an ‘oversight committee’ to investigate the matter. However, the findings of the committee have still not been made public.

The wrestlers relaunched their protest last month and this led to the registration of two FIRs against Brij Bhushan from the Delhi Police.

Karhana, who is a former national record holder shot putter and is the third Indian to cross the 20m mark in men’s shot put, felt that the wrestlers’ protest will have an impact on Indian sports.

“I come from a village and in many villages women are still discouraged to take up sports. So, if the authorities do not take the matter seriously and probe the allegations by women athletes in a fair process, no parent will allow them to go out and play sport.

“Ultimately, it will be the loss of the country as the talented athletes from the villages will not take up sports,” said Karhana who won the shot put gold at the Asian Championships in 2009 and followed it up with two bronze medals in the 2011 and 2013 editions.

Read: Timeline of wrestlers’ protest

The 10-member athletes commission has not taken a stand after wrestlers resumed their sit-in protest on April 24. A few members, though, have expressed their solidarity with the wrestlers individually.

“As an institution, the athletes commission has not issued a collective statement. But some individual members have done that.

“The athletes commission (with full rights and powers) is a new concept, so there may be some confusion over its rights and duties. Some members are not even fully aware of their roles and responsibilities.

“We are also learning and that’s why it’s taking time. We are still discussing the matter and I am hoping that a statement will come from the athletes commission.” Six members of the athletes commission, including Karhana, had a meeting on Saturday and made recommendations to the IOA to put in place proper systems to deal with issues of the athletes with respect and dignity.

Karhana was not willing to speak on what transpired during the meeting, saying only the chairperson or the vice chairperson of the commission can issue public statements.

“I can’t speak about the discussions during the meeting. But if a commission, which is set up for the betterment of the athletes, does not look into their issues, who else will do. That is what I can say,” he said.

With PTI inputs

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