Abhinav Bindra, the Beijing Olympics gold medallist, has emphasized the need for a robust Athletes' Commission (AC) in sports bodies to protect athletes' rights and minimize incidents of sexual harassment. This statement comes in response to recent events, including wrestler Sakshi Malik's decision to quit and grappler Bajrang Punia returning his Padma Shri after alleged misconduct in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections.
Bindra stressed the importance of active athlete representation through fairly elected ACs across sports. He called for the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) AC, established in 2022, to be truly active and functional. Bindra urged other sports federations to prioritize setting up their own athletes' commissions, emphasizing the empowerment of both leadership and athletes through athlete involvement in decision-making processes.
Bindra advocated for stringent Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) across Indian sports to handle cases of sexual harassment with sensitivity. He emphasized the need for trained safeguarding officers in all sports organizations and the formulation of clearly defined policies, protocols, and SOPs to handle such cases effectively.
Bindra expressed sadness at the trust deficit between protesting wrestlers and WFI, highlighting the need for clearly defined protocols incorporating best practices to manage sensitive issues. He underscored the urgency of implementing effective measures to rebuild trust within the sports community.
Union sports minister Anurag Thakur refrained from commenting on Punia's return of Padma Shri, focusing on celebrating athletes' achievements in the Asian Games and Asian Para Games. Additionally, Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh expressed solidarity with Sakshi Malik and announced his intention to return his Padma Shri in protest.
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