IOA Includes Coaches Gyan Singh, Ashok Garg In Wrestling's Ad-hoc Committee

Sexual Harassment Allegations by Women Wrestlers: The Indian Olympic Association has included noted coaches Gyan Singh and Ashok Garg in the ad-hoc committee that is running the Wrestling Federation of India after Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh stepped aside from the role in the wake of sexual harassment allegations by women wrestlers.

Notably, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday had informed that two coaches would be included in the committee as they need people with technical expertise ahead of the Asian Games trials.

Kalyan Chaubey, Joint Secretary and acting CEO of IOA, on Thursday confirmed that the two coaches have been inducted keeping the Asian Games selection trials in mind, while adding the ad-hoc committee headed BS Bajwa successfully overseeing the national team's participation in international events apart from conducting various age-group trials.

Earlier in the day, he expressed satisfaction over the trials conducted by the IOA-appointed ad-hoc committee, at the SAI facility, Sonepat, ahead of the Asian U-15 & U-20 Wrestling Championship.

"My visit to Sonepat was to get a first-hand feel of the ongoing wrestlers selection trials, and to interact with the participants. I'm satisfied with the fair and transparent conduct of the trials, and I must add that the selection camp was a much-needed break for these 2500 young athletes, who have expressed happiness to be back in the arena, " Chaubey said.

"IOA's priority was to bring back normalcy in the day-to-day functioning of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The ad-hoc committee comprising Bhupender Singh Bajwa and Suma Shirur was formed with this very same objective. We are working in collaboration with the ad-hoc committee to ensure our young athletes are not denied the opportunity to represent India in the upcoming international competitions. Today we have concluded the second set of selection trials, the previous one being the U-17 and U-23 camp," he added.