Don't Take Any Hasty Decision: 1983 World Cup Champions Urge Wrestlers

The champions of the 1983 Cricket World Cup, including Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, and Roger Binny have urged the protesting wrestlers not to take a hasty decision.

In a joint statement, the 1983 World Cup-winning team said it was distressed and disturbed after seeing the visuals of wrestlers being manhandled but also hoped that the law of the land will prevail.

"We are distressed and disturbed at the unseemly visuals of our champion wrestlers being manhandled. We are also most concerned that they are thinking of dumping their hard-earned medals into the river Ganga. Those medals have involved years of effort, sacrifice, determination, and grit and are not only their own but the nation's pride and joy. We urge them not to take any hasty decision in this matter and also fervently hope that their grievances are heard and resolved quickly. Let the law of the land prevail," read the letter.

"Heartbreaking that they decided to throw away their medals. We aren't in favour of them throwing away their medals because earning medals isn't easy and we urge the Government to sort out this issue as soon as possible," it added.

India's star wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia have been demanding the arrest of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual exploitation of women wrestlers, including a minor.

On May 28, the Delhi Police detained the wrestlers for violation of law and order when they marched towards the new Parliament building without permission. The Police also cleared the protest site and made it clear that the wrestlers would not be allowed back at Jantar Mantar.

They took their protest to Haridwar on May 30 but decided to push back their plan of immersing the medals in the Ganga. But it was stopped by farmer leaders.