Asian Games gold medal winner and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday alleged that Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for many years, a charge vehemently denied by the sports administrator and BJP MP.
Vinesh, who has been at loggerheads with the WFI since the Tokyo Olympic Games, also claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers, adding that there are a few women at the camp who approach wresters at the behest of the WFI president.
The 28-year-old though clarified that she herself never faced such exploitation but claimed that “one victim” was present at the ‘dharna’ they began at Jantar Mantar.
Vinesh also claimed that she had received death threats from officials close to Singh because she dared to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention to several issues plaguing Indian wrestling when she met him after the Olympics.
“At least 10-20 women wrestlers have told me about the sexual exploitation. I can’t reveal their names now, but I can definitely if we get to meet the Prime Minister and the home minister,” Vinesh said, addressing the media after staging the four-hour dharna.
Taking note of the allegations, the sports ministry has sought an explanation from WFI and directed it to “furnish a reply within the next 72 hours on the allegations made”.
The ministry said: “If WFI fails to furnish the reply within the next 72 hours, the Ministry will proceed to initiate action against the federation in terms of the provisions of the National Sports Development Code, 2011.” The women’s national camp, scheduled to begin in Lucknow on Wednesday, has been cancelled.
Top wrestlers, including Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and Vinesh, staged a protest at Jantar Mantar against the “dictatorship” of the MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh.
Singh rejected all the charges against him and refused to quit. “There is no truth in any of the allegations. Why should I quit?” the 66-year-old asked.