Lok Sabha Question No. 4512 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Disband Indian Wrestling Federation
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Gaddam Ranjith Reddy

## MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4512 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2023

Disband Indian Wrestling Federation

4512. DR. G. RANJITH REDDY:

Will  the  Minister  of  YOUTH  AFFAIRS  ANDSPORTS  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  true  that  women  wrestlers  are  demanding  to disband Indian Wrestling Federation(IWF);
- (b)  if  so,  the  reasons  that  only  President  was  resigned,  not  the entire body;
- (c) the constraints that the Government have in disbanding the IWF;
- (d)  whether  Indian  Olympic  Association  (IOA)  or  the  Government have the authority or right to disband IWF; and
- (e) if so, the corrective steps taken by the Government and IOA in this regard?

## THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## ANSWER [SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR]

(a) & (b): Recently  some  wrestlers  have  staged  protest/  dharna levelling allegations of sexual harassment, arbitrariness and mismanagement  in  the  functioning  of  the  Wrestling  Federation  of India (WFI). As the matter pertained to the wellbeing of the athletes, the  Government  immediately  took  note  of  the  allegations  and instructed the Executive Committee of WFI to abstain, as an interim measure, from administering and managing the day-to-day activities of  the  WFI.  Further,  as  a  purely  interim  measure,  an  Oversight

Committee headed by Ms. M.C. Mary Kom, Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Awardee and Olympic Medallist, has been appointed by the Government to  enquire  into  the  allegations  of  sexual  misconduct, harassment and / or intimidation, financial irregularitiesand administrative lapses, levelled by prominent sportspersons; and to undertake day-to-day administration of WFI.

(c) & (d): There are provisions in the National Sports Development Code  of  India  (NSDCI)  2011,  which  provide  for  suspension  and withdrawal  of  recognition  of  National  Sports  Federations  (NSFs). Provisions of the Sports Code are applicable to all recognized NSFs including WFI.

Indian  Olympic  Association  (IOA)  is  an  independent  organization with its own rules and regulations to deal with its affiliate member units.

(e)  Provisions  of  Sexual  Harassment  of  Women  at  Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) (POSH) Act, 2013 are applicable  to  NSFs  and  other  sports  organizations.  The  NSFs  and other sports organizations are bound to take action in terms of the extant legal provisions in the cases of sexual harassment reported to them.

For  sensitizing  the  NSFs  in  the  matter  of  sexual  harassment  in sports,  instructions  have  been  issued  by  the  Ministry  of  Youth Affairs & Sports to NSFs from time-to-time for taking the requisite measures as required by law.

The  Sports  Authority  of  India  (SAI),  an  autonomous  organization under the Ministry  of  Youth  Affairs  &  Sports,  where  national  level athletes are imparted coaching either as trainees or as part of the national coaching camps organized at its centres, has taken various steps to deal with cases of sexual harassment. An Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) has been constituted in each of the SAI Regional  Centres  with  a  senior  lady  officer  as  the  Chairperson. Members of the Committee include a lady official from a local NGO and lady officers of SAI.

During  domestic/International  camps  and  competition  exposures, women  coaches  are  mandatorily  made  part  of  every  contingent which  has  female  athletes.  Compliance  Officers  are  appointed during  National  Coaching  Camps  and  foreign  visits.  The  roles  and responsibilities  of  the  Compliance  Officers  include  communicating regularly with athletes and others to ensure that the guidelines are being  followed,  as  well  as  to  enforce  the  Standard  Operating Procedure on prevention of incidents of sexual harassment. Further, pre-Camp Sensitization modules are designed and presented to all athletes, coaches and support staff together before commencement of any National Coaching Camp and foreign visit. In  addition  to  the  above,  a  24x7  call  centre  is  also  run  by  SAI  to address grievances of the sportspersons.

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