Leading women wrestlers on January 18 accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing women wrestlers. These wrestlers are no ordinary women, in fact, they are names which you might have heard about already.
Known woman wrestlers like world championship medalist Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Sarita Mor, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyawart Malik, Jitender Kinha and CWG medallist Sumit Malik were among the 30 wrestlers who were protesting. They were also joined by Bajrang Punia. Vinesh Phogat in a statement to the media has done that at least 20 women had complained of “sexual exploitation” at the hand of the WFI chief.
Vinesh Phogat, who is a three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist has accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of calling her a ‘khota sikka’ after defeat in the Tokyo Olympics. She even mentioned that she received death threats from people close to Singh.
Here is what Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik tweeted on the protest:
खिलाड़ी आत्मसम्मान चाहता है और पूरी शिद्दत के साथ ओलंपिक और बड़े खेलो के लिए तैयारी करता है लेकिन अगर फेडरेशन उसका साथ ना दे मनोबल टूट जाता है।लेकिन अब हम नही झुकेंगे।अपने अधिकारों के लिए लड़ेंगे।#BoycottWFIPresident#BoycottWrestlingPresident@PMOIndia @narendramodi @AmitShah
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) January 18, 2023
खिलाड़ी पूरी मेहनत कर के देश को मेडल दिलाता हैं लेकिन फेडरेशन ने हमें नीचा दिखाने के अलावा कुछ नहीं किया। मनचाहे क़ायदे क़ानून लगा कर खिलाड़ियों को प्रताड़ित किया जा रहा है। #BoycottWFIPresident#BoycottWrestlingPresident@PMOIndia @AmitShah @narendramodi
— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) January 18, 2023
During the media briefing which went on for a four-hour-long dharna at Jantar Mantar, Phogat alleged that several coaches at WFI would often misbehave with women and harass them.
The protest took place at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the Federation and Singh, who has denied these allegations.
ALSO READ | Sports Ministry seeks explanation from WFI over allegations by wrestlers, asks to reply in next 72 hours
With all these protests going on, Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal reached Jantar Mantar to meet the protesting wrestlers. In a media statement, she said, “ I’m shocked. The women who’ve taken India to great heights have assembled in Jantar Mantar to ask for justice. It’s shameful.”
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has been the president of the WFI since 2011, is also a Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from UP’s Kaiserganj. He was elected as the WFI president for the third consecutive time in February 2019.
In lieu of this, the Union Sports Ministry of India has sought an explanation from the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). They have also asked them to produce a statement within the next 72 hours over the recent allegations levied by the wrestlers.