UWW urges IOA & WFI to co-operate, awaits IOA confirmation ratifying elections

United World Wrestling chief Nenad Lalovic wants all stakeholders including the WFI and IOA to cooperate so that Indian grapplers are not inconvenienced by uncertainty prevailing in the sport and can enter international competitions in the crucial Olympic yearLalovic in his letter to the IOA adhoc panel incharge of wrestling said UWW is willing to give recognition to the new Wrestling Federation of India if the Indian Olympic Association gives a formal confirmationSeveral Olympic qualifying events are lined up this year with woman grappler Antim Panghal being the only one from India to have secured a Paris 2024 berth while the others have disappointed because of lack of training camps and competitions for more than a year due to protests by Bajrang Punia Sakshi Malik and Vinesh PhogatThe three top wrestlers are demanding the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing women grapplersThe WFI and the IOA are requested to cooperate so that the athletes are not prejudiced and are duly entered in international UWW events under the same conditions as detailed in our suspension letter of August 23 2023 We thank you for your attention and collaboration for the sake of all wrestlers in India said the UWW president in his letterAlso ReadWhatrsquos sports without patriarchyUWW also said it was wellinformed about the newlyelected WFI under Sanjay Singh and was waiting for IOA to confirm the results of the electionsUWW has been wellinformed of the results of the Wrestling Federation of Indias elections held on December 21 2023 under the supervision of a former judge of the Delhi High CourtUWW requires a formal written confirmation by the respective National Olympic Committee Indian Olympic Association whereby it recognises and confirms the results of the elections and the names of all new office bearersThis letter serves as a formal request of such written confirmation by the Indian Olympic Association he addedThe president also said UWW will require a robust plan from the stakeholders guaranteeing a safe environment where grapplers can report abuse and harassment and a clear hearing process is in placeConsidering all the circumstances and allegations that led to this situation suspension of WFI by UWW UWW additionally requires that a detailed and robust plan is submitted for approval to ensure that all athletes can practice their sport in a safe environmentThis includes the establishment of instances safeguarding officer or committee within the WFI to address concerns of abuse and harassment in compliance with the Indian laws and policies on safe sport the training of coaches and athlete support personnel on athletes safeguarding clear and independent channels for athletes to report on any instance of abuse and harassment clear adjudication and hearing processes with applicable sanctions and the absence of any restriction to refer cases to law enforcement authoritiesAlso ReadSilence is lsquonotrsquo goldenLalovic also asked the WFI to set up an athletes commission with 50 percent women for quick redressal of disciplinary issuesThe WFI shall also set up or inform UWW of the existence of any Athletes Commission within its structure This commission shall be composed equally by men and women athletes active or retired for no longer than four years and be elected solely by active athletesAs these crucial points were the grounds for the UWW Bureau respectively the UWW Disciplinary Chamber to impose a suspension on the WFI the UWW will be in a position to decide on the lifting of the suspension upon reception of these elements Lalovic who is also an IOC Executive Board Member added