India's top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, and double World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, today alleged that Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had sexual assaulted female wrestlers and issued death threats to athletes.
The wrestlers made the allegations at a press conference this evening, following a public protest that began in the morning at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
"Adhyaksh (President) and a few coaches in the national camp have sexually exploited female wrestlers," Vinesh told the media. "I have openly said it today. I don't know if I will be alive tomorrow. We have requested several times to move the camp away from Lucknow. Why is it held only there? Because it's easy for him to prey on the women wrestlers."
Bajrang, Vinesh, Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik, world championship medallist Sarita Mor, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyawart Kadian, Jitender Kinha and CWG medallist Sumit Malik were among 30 wrestlers who assembled at Jantar Mantar.
“Coaches are harassing women, and some coaches who are favourite of the federation misbehave with women coaches as well. They sexually harass girls,” Vinesh said.
She said, after the Tokyo Olympics defeat, the WFI president mentally tortured her and she even considered ending her life. “The WFI president called me 'khota sikka'. WFI mentally tortured me. I used to think of ending my life each day. If anything happens to any wrestler, then the responsibility will be on WFI president,” she said.
The wrestlers alleged that the federation interfered in their personal lives, too. They also said that the Indian contingent did not have a physio or a coach at the Olympics, and that the athletes were threatened when they questioned it.
“We will not compete in any international competition until WFI president is removed,” Punia said. “We want that the management of the WFI changed. We hope the prime minister and home minister will support us.”
Earlier, Sakshi Malik had tweeted: "The players make every effort to win medals for the country but the federation has not done anything except downgrading us. Arbitrary rules are being framed to torture the athletes.”
Anshu Malik, Sangeeta Phogat and other wrestlers also tweeted on the same lines with the hashtag BoycottWFIPresident and tagged PMO, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Singh, who is also a BJP MP from Kaiserganj, however, denied all allegations. "Sexual harassment allegations against the chief coach and me are baseless. My home is some 120 km away from camp," he was quoted as saying by ANI.
"Why didn't they have any problems with the federation for the past 10 years. Wrestlers are angry over rule changes,” Singh said.
He also took a dig at the protesting wrestlers, saying they have not contested any national tournament after the Olympics.
Singh has been at the helm since 2011. He was elected president of WFI for the third consecutive time in February 2019.
