The first impression that the reassembling of India’s wrestlers, including the most celebrated ones, at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, gives is that the concerns raised by them three months ago have not been duly considered. This time around, the wrestlers have come with a difference though. They are rooting for a wider participation, including that from political figures and farmers’ community. World Championship medalist Vinesh Phogat said that wrestlers will not move from the protest site until the legal process is completed or Brij Bhushan is arrested. Their trust in the Sports Ministry and the Sports Association of India appears to be shaken, as they have allegedly failed to live up to the wrestlers’ expectations. The wrestlers had withdrawn their January protest following promises of resolution of the issue, which now lay shattered to pieces. The justice system has indeed failed the protesting wrestlers at each and every point. In the first place, Vinesh Phogat has highlighted that in case of a sexual harassment complaint, the most basic thing to do is to register an FIR, but the police have failed to do so — even when POSCO Act applies to one of the complaints. It may be noted that none other than the Solicitor General of India, appearing for the Delhi Police, has clarified before the Supreme Court that the authorities first intend to conduct a preliminary enquiry in the matter, adding that the police, however, are ready to file an FIR if the apex court directs so. Responding to this, Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioners, cited an amendment to Section 166A of CrPC which “allows the police to also be prosecuted if the case is not registered.” Secondly, the report of the Oversight Committee set up by the Sports Ministry to probe the allegations of sexual harassment against the WFI president has not been made public. The protesting athletes now repose little trust in the committee’s findings. Though the report has not been made public, based on it, the Sports Ministry is learnt to have sent a letter to the Indian Olympic Association, highlighting the need for “effective communication between the federation and the sportspersons”. Additionally, the ministry has also declared the WFI elections, to be held on May 7, as null and void — urging the IOA to form an ad hoc committee to administer daily affairs of the WFI and to conduct elections to its new executive committee in a time-bound manner. This might be an attempt to assuage the wrestlers’ angst, but it doesn’t factor in the deep mistrust that the grapplers have developed against the sports administration. The most vital thing at this juncture would be to take speedy, effective and genuine actions to win the trust of the protestors. In fact, the trust deficit is widening further. As if the accusation of sexual misconduct against India’s glory-bringing wrestlers was not enough, other allegations of death threats and money inducement have surfaced. Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia has reportedly alleged that “they are trying to threaten the minor victim and pressure is being put on the family members to withdraw the complaint. We have learned that one of the people threatening them is a coach who is a Dronacharya-award winner and the other is the secretary of the Haryana Wrestling Association.” The entire episode is a stark antithesis to the narrative of increased focus on promotion of sports and sportspersons in India, led by none other than the Prime Minister of the country. Ironically, the chief accused belongs to the party that is ruling at the Centre. The gravity of the issue is such that it should attract harshest condemnation from the highest position-holders of India. Sadly, that has not been the case. The wrestlers have done the right thing by allowing the participation of individuals from other factions of society, including politicians, activists and farmers. This will lend their protest a wider base. If the glory brought by the wrestlers has been a matter of national pride, their ‘shame’ should also be shared by one and all.