Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, two of India’s most esteemed female wrestlers, have accused BJP MP and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment.
In order to speak to the media on behalf of the allegedly exploited female wrestlers, the athletes staged a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Vinesh Phogat, the only wrestler in the nation to win two medals at the World Championships, said that coaches and the WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan had sexually harassed female wrestlers at national camps. Some of the coaches appointed at national camps have been sexually harassing women wrestlers for years. The WFI president is also involved in sexual harassment.”
The only Olympic medalist for India, Sakshi Malik, remarked, “We have merely come to save them,” while standing on the dais alongside Vinesh and supporting the accusations. For them, we are battling. We will speak up when it’s time. We shall provide the person conducting the investigation with the identities of those who were taken advantage of.
Olympic medalist Bajrang Punia, Olympian Anshu, and world junior silver medalist Sonam Malik were among those who joined the wrestlers in their support and protest of the federation’s “dictatorial practises.” Sangeeta Phogat, a nationally rated wrestler and wife of Bajrang, was also present.
Vinod Tomar of the WFI federation crossed the street to speak with the wrestlers in protest because the federation’s headquarters is close to Jantar Mantar and is located in Singh’s MP residence. As his attempt at negotiating failed, he fled. Tomar claimed as he was leaving, “WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh requested me to go talk to the protesting wrestlers and let them know that they may come to the WFI headquarters and discuss any matters.