Tokyo Olympics champion Kawai comes out in support of protesting Indian wrestlers

Several top Indian grapplers have been protesting at the iconic Jantar Mantar here demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan, who has been accused of sexual harassment of seven women athletes, including a minor.

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Shakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and others seen during a candle light vigil near India Gate. | Photo Credit: SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA/The Hindu

Tokyo Olympics gold medallist and three-time world champion grappler Risako Kawai of Japan has come out in support of the protesting Indian wrestlers in their fight against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Top Indian grapplers, including Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik have been protesting at the iconic Jantar Mantar here demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan, who has been accused of sexual harassment of seven women athletes, including a minor.

“I hope it will be an environment where Indian athletes can practice with peace of mind,” Kawai wrote retweeting a BBC News video on the wrestlers’ protest.

Kawai, who won the 57kg women’s freestyle gold in Tokyo, is the first high-profile international wrestler to come out in support of the protesting Indian wrestlers.

Both Vinesh and Bajrang are probable medallist in this year’s Asian Games in Hangzhou, China but for over a month they have not been practising, demanding justice for the alleged victims.

The Delhi Police have filed two FIRs -- one related to the complaints of a minor wrestler under the Prevention of Child Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act -- against Brij Bhushan, but a concrete step is yet to taken as the investigation is still on.