India’s prime wrestlers, together with two Olympic medallists, rebelled towards the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Wednesday, accusing its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of working the physique in a “dictatorial” method, and alleging “sexual exploitation and psychological harassment” at nationwide camps.
In an unprecedented sit-in on the Capital’s Jantar Mantar space, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, and two-time world championships medallist Vinesh Phogat led a bunch of round 30 wrestlers. In a media convention on the venue, they demanded the speedy removing of Singh to “save wrestling from his clutches”. Wrestling is India’s most profitable particular person Olympic sport with seven medals, together with two at Tokyo in 2021.
The protesting wrestlers alleged that Singh, a Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BP) MP from Kaiserganj, Uttar Pradesh, in his third time period as federation president (his tenure ends this 12 months), has been working the physique as his fiefdom. In addition they accused him of “sexual harassment” and utilizing “abusive language” towards wrestlers.
The wresters — the group included younger stars Anshu Malik, the 2021 world championships silver medallist, and Tokyo Olympian Sonam Malik — stated they are going to take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and residential minister Amit Shah.
Chatting with reporters hours later, Singh denied the accusations of sexual harassment, and alleged the revolt was a part of a “conspiracy” to unseat him.
Vinesh stated in the course of the sit-in that she was “mentally tortured” after the Tokyo Olympics, the place she misplaced within the quarterfinals. She alleged that she acquired demise threats from individuals within the federation as a result of she had complained in regards to the circumstances within the sport to the Prime Minister throughout a gathering.
“The WFI president is a really highly effective man and wrestlers are scared to speak towards him. Now we have now gathered braveness as a result of the scenario goes out of hand,” stated Vinesh.
She additionally alleged that “women are sexually exploited” on the girls’s nationwide camp in Lucknow.
“Coaches are sexually harassing women and ill-treat girls coaches within the camp. I’m not saying this about all of the coaches however just a few of them who’re near the federation chief. I complained towards the chief coach Jitender Yadav however regardless of that he has not been eliminated. WFI president has sexually exploited women,” Vinesh stated.
“I can take names of 10 to twenty women that I’ve seen in 10 years in nationwide camp who’ve informed me their tales, sobbing. Such issues have occurred recurrently however they’re scared to come back out within the open. They can not combat such a battle with a person of energy and place. There are just a few women sitting right here who’ve confronted comparable incidents,” she added.
Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik backed Vinesh’s allegations. “Why do you assume the ladies’s camp is held in Lucknow? It’s the dwelling of WFI president and he can use it for exploitation,” stated Malik. “We’re combating for our future generations. Simply two-three years of our profession is left however we don’t need the brand new technology to endure.”
Tokyo medallist Punia stated that the wrestlers is not going to participate in any competitors and attend nationwide camps so long as Singh stays president. “Wrestlers of your complete nation are with us on the problem. It’s not that we’re solely 20-30 individuals that you simply see right here. We’re the face and we have now taken this courageous step. We aren’t going to combat any competitors till he (Singh) quits,” he stated.
“Throughout a current nationwide meet in Ranchi, he (Singh) abused a wrestler from Haryana in such unhealthy language that I can’t reveal right here. I’ve a video,” he stated, including that no international coach needs to come back to India due to the unhealthy popularity. “We should not have high quality coaches in India however WFI doesn’t wish to get any international coach. After successful bronze in Tokyo, I used to be in ache for six months however they didn’t give me any physio. I did my very own rehab.”
Singh, on his half, hit again whereas speaking to reporters on the WFI headquarters within the Capital later within the day.
“The allegations of any form of harassment are baseless. Prime wrestlers wish to dictate phrases and need the WFI to bend its methods as per their whims and fancies,” he stated.
“Why ought to I stop? Even when one girl wrestler comes and proves the sexual harassment cost, I’m able to be hanged,” Singh added. “There might be an investigation by CBI or police. There isn’t any dictatorship. These identical wrestlers had met me every week again and didn’t say something.”
The pinnacle of the federation for since 2012, Singh stated that the protest was being held on the behest of an industrialist who wished to begin a brand new federation in Haryana.
“One criticism has additionally been filed towards me earlier as nicely that I’ve not given permission for the structure of the Haryana Wrestling Federation. I additionally assume that an industrialist is behind all this,” Singh stated, with out taking any names.
Sports activities Ministry search clarification from WFI
Earlier, Vinesh broke down whereas speaking about her ordeal after the Tokyo Olympics, saying she was mentally tortured by Singh to some extent the place she considered committing suicide. A medal prospect at Tokyo, she misplaced early and was later concerned in a long-drawn out row with WFI, which suspended her for indiscipline earlier than rescinding the cost.
“After the Tokyo Olympics, I used to be being banned for 2 years for indiscipline (for not sporting the official singlet) once I was not at fault. The singlet I wore had Vinesh written on it with the India identify and flag. Our equipment is of such low high quality that we aren’t snug sporting it, go away alone combating on the mat and that’s why I used to be sporting a special singlet,” Vinesh stated.
“However I needed to undergo psychological torture. I used to be undecided whether or not that particular person (Singh) will permit me to reside after Tokyo . He known as me khota sikka (ineffective coin). I even acquired demise menace given by people who find themselves near him. When the time comes, I’ll take their names,” stated the 28-year-old who revived her profession by successful gold on the Birmingham Commonwealth Video games and received a second world championships bronze final 12 months.
The feedback by the wrestlers led to the Union sports activities ministry, saying it has demanded a proof from WFI inside 72 hours. “If WFI fails to furnish the reply throughout the subsequent 72 hours, the ministry will proceed to provoke motion towards the federation by way of the provisions of the Nationwide Sports activities Growth Code, 2011,” the ministry stated in a press release stated.
The ministry additionally introduced that the ladies’s nationwide camp, resulting from begin at Lucknow’s Sports activities Authority of India centre in Lucknow from January 18 with 41 wrestlers and 13 coaches and help employees, stands cancelled.
The wrestlers received help from sportspeople from different disciplines as nicely.
Abhinav Bindra, India’s first particular person Olympics gold medallist , stated on Twitter, in an obvious reference to the wrestlers’ protest: “We, as a nation, have the duty to safeguard each athlete representing our flag. We owe it to every and everybody to see that they’re mentally and bodily secure on and off the sphere.”
(With inputs from Sharad Deep)