New Delhi: Athletes should behave like athletes instead of becoming tools of someone, BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri said. He was reacting to the freshly broken row after wrestlers decided to return awards as well as announcing retirement, protesting the election of a new wrestling body chief, who is loyal to his controversial predecessor.
The MP told Asian News International that the wrestlers made the country proud and that they were talented but should not become tools for someone. He claimed that Haryana politicians used them earlier for their benefit and spoiled their careers. Whoever is elected as the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president, the athletes' job is to practice, Ramesh Bidhuri said.
After a big row and multiple bouts of severe protests and conflicts to bring former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, his aide Sanjay Singh was elected as the new WFI president. Wrestlers accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment, and Delhi Police named him on the same charge.
On Saturday, Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said that the Bajrang Punia, who returned his bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics, must not have done that since it was his right.
Bajrang Punia announced on Friday, a day after WFI elected Bhushan's close aid as fresh president, that he is going to return his Padma Sri. Delhi Police blocked him at Kartavya Path when he was going towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence.
After the elections, Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik, the face of the protest against Brij Bhushan, alleging sexual harassment, announced quitting the sport.
Meanwhile, the new president commented that retiring from the sport is a personal matter for an athlete, and he doesn't wish to comment on that. Those who are athletes have already started training, and those who are not are engaging in Politics, he claimed.
He wondered how he could be a dummy candidate just because he was close with MP Brij Bhushan, adding that he has been in WFI for the past 12 years.