India’s top wrestlers, including Olympians, on Wednesday staged an unprecedented protest at Janatar Mantar in New Delhi, accusing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually exploiting women wrestlers for many years and sought the intervention of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister for his removal.
The protesting wrestlers said they will not compete in any international competition until the WFI president is removed.
Those who attended the protest included: Vinesh Phogat, a world championship medallist and Olympian, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik, world championship medallist Sarita Mor, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyawart Malik, Jitender Kinha and CWG medallist Sumit Malik were among 30 wrestlers who assembled at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.
Refuting the allegation, the sitting BJP MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh said, “There is no truth in any of the allegations.
“Why should I quit? Even if one woman wrestler comes and proves the sexual harassment charge, I am ready to be hanged. There is an industrialist behind it (conspiracy),” said the 66-year-old WFI president.
“There can be an investigation by the CBI or police. There is no dictatorship. These same wrestlers had met me a week back and did not say anything,” he added.
Going beyond the WFI president, Vinesh alleged that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers.
The 28-year-old clarified that she herself never faced such exploitation but claimed that “one victim” was present at the “dharna” they began at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.
Vinesh also claimed that she had received death threats at the behest of WFI president from officials close to him because she dared to draw Modi’s attention to several issues plaguing Indian wrestling when she met him after the Tokyo Games.
“I know at least 10-20 women wrestlers who have told me about the sexual exploitation they faced at the hands of (the) WFI president. They told me their stories. I can’t take their names now but I can definitely reveal the names if we get to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of the country,” Vinesh said addressing the media after staging a four-hour dharna at Jantar Mantar.
“I have received death threats from people who are close to the WFI president. If anything happens to any of us sitting here, only the WFI president will be responsible.”
Singh was elected president of WFI for a third consecutive term in February 2019.
Sitting beside Vinesh, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia said the federation is being run in an arbitrary manner and they will not compete in any international competition unless the WFI president, who is no less than a “dictator”, is removed.
“Our fight is not against the Government or the Sports Authority of India (SAI). This is against WFI. ‘Yeh ab aar paar ki ladai hai’ (It’s a fight to the finish). We will continue this protest until the WFI President is removed,” Bajrang told PTI.
“We will not compete in any international competition until the WFI president is removed. This is a fight to save Indian wrestling. While we are denied help and support of foreign coaches, the President has hired a foreign coach for his own academy in Gonda,” Punia later said while addressing the media. “He uses abusive language against wrestlers, we can even show you videos of that.”
In December 2021, the WFI president had slapped an wrestler during the under-15 national championship when he insisted on competing after being disqualified. Responding to the allegation of death threats given to Vinesh on his behalf, Singh said, “Why did Vinesh not talk to me or approach the police at that time? Why did she not meet the PM or the Sports Minister? Why is she saying this now.”
The WFI boss indicated that the new policy and the rules they have introduced are perhaps causing a bit of discomfort to the wrestlers and that’s why the protest. He said the wrestlers are being asked to compete in the National Championships and appear in trials for fair selection, and there is nothing wrong in it. “Different States host nationals and all want the country’s best athletes to compete. None of these wrestlers has competed in the nationals. We have made it clear that only those athletes who compete and win at the national c`hampionship will be selected for the national camp. The State of Haryana has been the pride of the country but we want to take wrestling to other states also. So we stopped the arrangements of states sending multiple teams at the nationals. States like Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram are weak and we need to promote the game there. So we introduced national open championships apart from the regular nationals and there also Haryana claimed 61 per cent of the medals,” said Singh.
Vinesh said she is labelled an undisciplined athlete because she dares to speak her mind.
“I am being tortured every day.”
Asked why they did not raise the issue before, Vinesh said, “These are powerful, influential people. We could not muster courage. Now we were not left with any option. ‘Ab paani sar se paar ho raha hai’ (the limit has been reached). We have to think about the next generation of players as well.``
Adding to it, Bajrang said, “We are approaching the end of our careers. For how long will we play? 2024, 2026 or maybe 2028 but it is a question of the entire wrestling fraternity.”
It may be recalled that the WFI, while taking disciplinary action against Vinesh for not wearing the official singlet during the Tokyo Games, had banned her but later lifted it after receiving a written apology from the athlete.
Vinesh said she did not wear that singlet because it was “zero quality.”
Explaining his position, the WFI president said they were facing action from the International Olympic Committee for flouting the rules and he had to take action against Vinesh out of compulsion because he did not want a ban on India.