She is first an athlete, says Bajrang Punia as PT Usha meets wrestlers

IOA president PT Usha on Wednesday met wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and other grapplers, who have been sitting on a protest demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and assured them of support.

Usha had a discussion with the protesting wrestlers and left the protest site without speaking to the media. Later, Bajrang Punia told reporters that Usha has assured them that she will help them get justice.

"PT Usha met us and assured her support. She said she is first an athlete and then an administrator. She assured us that she will help us in getting justice," Bajrang said.

Earlier, the former athlete had on April 27 said that the wrestlers should have approached the IOA instead of going out in the streets against the WFI and its president, whom the wrestlers accused of sexual harassment and mismanagement of athletes.

"Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is having a committee for sexual harassment, instead of going to the streets they (protesting wrestlers) could have come to us earlier but they did not come to IOA. It is not good for sports not only for wrestlers, they should also have some discipline," the IOA president had said.

To which, wrestlers had expressed their disappointment at her remarks.

--IANS

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