The suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) by the Union Sports Ministry and highlights the issues plaguing sports administration in India, including allegations of sexual harassment and arbitrary decision-making. It also emphasizes the need for reforms in the system.
The Union Sports Ministry has suspended the newly elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The suspension is a result of allegations of sexual harassment made by Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat against the former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the coaches of the Federation.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was forced to step down and was charged by the Delhi police for offences including stalking and harassment.
Sanjay Singh, a loyalist of Brij Bhushan, was appointed as the new president of WFI.
The new WFI leadership, dominated by Brij Bhushan's confidants, did not include any women.
The wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat, expressed disappointment and concern over the lack of women representation and safety in the current set-up.
Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri award in protest against the new WFI leadership.
The government has taken action in response to the embarrassing turn of events in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
The Ministry has criticized Singh's hasty and arbitrary decision-making, as well as his failure to consult with the Secretary General as required by the WFI constitution.
The running of Federation affairs from premises controlled by former office-bearers, where sexual harassment allegations have been made, is another reason for the government's intervention.
The situation in the WFI highlights the issues with sports administration in India, including patronage politics and deference to political masters.
The Indian Olympic Association and the athletes' commission initially failed to respond effectively to the wrestlers' complaints.
Brij Bhushan's influence was so strong that an FIR was only registered after the Chief Justice of India intervened.
There is an opportunity for reform and the authorities should take comprehensive action to address the issues.
The link between climate change and public health, emphasizing the urgent need to address the climate crisis. It highlights the impact of extreme weather events on health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The 28th UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) was hosted by the UAE in Dubai.
The conference took place during a year of unprecedented challenges, including record-breaking temperatures, wildfires, and floods.
The climate crisis is a public health crisis, with severe temperatures, extreme weather events, and an increase in water- and vector-borne diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared climate change as the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century.
Marginalized communities are most affected by the changing climate, with the potential for over 100 million people to be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030.
The inaugural Health Day at COP28 highlighted the link between climate and health, emphasizing the need to combat climate change for global health.
Health leaders issued an open letter calling for an accelerated phase-out of fossil fuels as the decisive path to health for all.
Over 1,900 health professionals at COP28 emphasized the importance of prioritizing human health and well-being in climate decisions.
The COP28 UAE Declaration on Climate and Health signifies a global commitment to address climate-related health impacts and strengthen healthcare systems.
The declaration is supported by 143 countries.
The first-ever climate-health ministerial was hosted by the COP28 Presidency, WHO, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, and a group of champion countries.
Nearly 50 Ministers of Health and 110 high-level health ministerial staff attended the ministerial.
The ministers set out a roadmap and opportunities for action to address the growing burden of climate change on healthcare systems and capture socio-economic benefits.
India was not represented on the historic health day at COP28.
India has experienced a significant rise in extreme temperatures, heat stress events, cyclones, floods, droughts, and malnutrition.
In 2019, India ranked seventh globally for the severe impact of climate change.
India has seen a disaster nearly every day in the first nine months of 2023, including heatwaves, cyclones, floods, and landslides.
These disasters have resulted in human casualties, crop damage, destruction of houses, and loss of livestock.
The Reserve Bank of India's report states that extreme heat and humidity could jeopardize 4.5% of India's GDP by 2030.
Rising air pollution in India caused 1.6 million premature deaths in 2019.
Public health challenges such as malaria, malnutrition, and diarrhea compound the situation.
The increase in weather-related disasters and their health ramifications pose a threat to the public health infrastructure.
Over 700 million individuals in India rely on climate-sensitive sectors for their livelihoods.
Prioritizing health in climate planning safeguards well-being and enhances community resilience.
Integrating health into climate planning is economically prudent and strategically crucial for the effectiveness of climate actions in India.
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