In a statement, endorsed by legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, said that they are “distressed and disturbed” in  the way wrestlers have been “manhandled” – a reference to the faceoff between them and Delhi Police on May 28 — and urged the protesting wrestlers not to dump their hard-earned medals into the river.

“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 river Ganga,” read a statement released by the 1983 World Cup winning team.

However, by late evening Binny distanced himself from the statement. “Contrary to some media reports, I would like to clarify that I have not issued any statement regarding the current situation of the wrestlers’ protest. I believe that the competent authorities are working on to resolve the issue. As a former cricketer, I believe that sports should not be mixed with politics,” Binny told PTI.

Kapil Dev, who captained the team to the country’s first World Cup trophy, said the “law of the land should prevail.”

When contacted by The Indian Express, he said: “What’s the purpose of the judiciary in our country, that’s there, right? Without giving it a critical angle, I want this issue to be resolved.”

Sakshi Malik, the wrestler who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, is detained by the police during a protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India, in New Delhi, May, 28, 2023. (AP)

The 1983 World Cup win is arguably India’s first big global sporting triumph and it holds resonance and emotional appeal for a large part of the country’s consciousness. That’s why the statement from the team, coming amid a larger silence in the sports establishment, rings louder.

A member of the team and a signatory, pacer Madan Lal, requested the protesting wrestlers not to throw their “khoon paseene ke medals” in river Ganga even as he urged them not to give up the fight.

Lal said the team decided to release a statement after they saw the wrestlers went to Haridwar to throw their medals and the way the police treated them. “That was the trigger point,” he told The Indian Express.

“We have given the statement in favour of the protesting wrestlers. We can only request the government to listen to them. They have been protesting for the last two and three months and you can’t be just tone-deaf about it…Humey pata hai keemat. (We know what it takes to win the medal).

“Medal is not won in one or two years. It is the hard work of 20 years. They have worked day in and day out. How many people in our country have won medals at the Olympics, Asian Games, and World Championships? Khoon paseene ki kamayi hai (These medals are made out of sweat and blood).

“My best wishes are to the wrestlers. If you are right, keep on fighting. Never give up. Once you are right, then fight the battle till you win it,” he added.

“Medal is not won in one or two years. It is the hard work of 20 years. They have worked day in and day out. How many people in our country have won medals at the Olympics, Asian Games, and World Championships? khoon paseene ki kamayi hai (These medals are made out of sweat and blood).

Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, who have been demanding the arrest of WFI chief, took their protest to Haridwar on May 30 but did not carry out the threat of immersing their medals into Ganga.

In the statement, the World Cup winning team has requested the wrestlers not to take any decision in haste.

“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,” the statement read.

Among the country’s sporting icons to come out in support of the protesting wrestlers have been tennis star Sania Mirza, Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and former cricket captain Anil Kumble.

Mirza had tweeted: “As an athlete but more as a woman this is too difficult to watch .. it’s time to now stand with them .. this is a highly sensitive matter ..”. Both Kumble and Bindra expressed their dismay over Delhi Police’s highhandedness at Jantar Mantar. Kumble’s post said, he was “dismayed to hear about what transpired on the 28th of May with our wrestlers being manhandled”. Bindra, meanwhile, was “haunted by the horrifying images of my fellow Indian wrestlers protesting”.