New Delhi: In a bold development to the wrestlers' protest at the national capital's Jantar Mantar, star wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malikkh, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia wrote a complaint to the Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha on alleged sexual harassment complaints against Wrestling Federation of India president (WFI) Brijbhushan Saran Singh. The sit-in protest is against the WFI president as well as several coaches of the federation alleging them of sexual misconduct and harassment of women wrestlers.
Olympian Vinesh Phogat shared the draft of the letter on his Twitter handle tagging @PMOIndia @AmitShah @ianuragthakur and @PTUshaOfficial. The letter described the complaint to be 'very serious'. The wrestlers were informed of these malpractices by "several young wrestlers", the letter stated. It has been signed by five wrestlers including Tokyo Olympics medallists Ravi Dahiya and Bajrang Punia. Rio Games bronze winner Sakshi Malik and World Championship medallists Vinesh Phogat and Deepak Punia have also signed.
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@PMOIndia @AmitShah @ianuragthakur @PTUshaOfficial pic.twitter.com/PwhJjlawPg
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) January 20, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">@PMOIndia @AmitShah @ianuragthakur @PTUshaOfficial pic.twitter.com/PwhJjlawPg
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) January 20, 2023@PMOIndia @AmitShah @ianuragthakur @PTUshaOfficial pic.twitter.com/PwhJjlawPg
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) January 20, 2023
The letter also highlighted charges of 'financial misappropriation' on the part of the wrestling federation. Contract payments were agreed with some of the senior wrestlers in the last few years through sponsorship received from TATA Motors. These payments were only partly made by the WFI, the letter mentioned.
Also read: WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan likely to resign on Jan 22 after allegations by wrestlers
Vinesh Phogat was mentally harassed and tortured by the WFI President after she missed out on an Olympic medal in Tokyo. She almost contemplated suicide, the letter stated. Moreover, the coaches and Sports Science staff that WFI President puts in the National camp are absolutely 'incompetent' and not on merit. They are just his informants and they create a very bad atmosphere in the National camp, the letter stated.
The wrestlers demanded the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to immediately appoint a committee to enquire into the complaints of sexual harassment, the WFI president should resign immediately, the wrestling federation itself should be dissolved and a new committee should be formed to run the affairs of the WFI in consultation with the wrestlers.
"It has taken a lot of courage for us wrestlers to come together and protest against the WFI President. We fear for our lives. If he is not sacked then the careers of all the young wrestlers who have joined this dharna will be over," the Olympians stated in a cry for help.
At the protest site on Friday, sporting star Bajrang Punia said that it is unfortunate that athletes are forced to sit in protest leaving practice. "Our fight is only against the Wrestling Federation of India. We appeal to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Union Sports Minister to hear our demands without giving this fight a political spin.
Earlier in the day star boxer Vijendar Singh arrived at Jantar Mantar on Friday to show solidarity with the wrestlers protesting three days in a row. Speaking to reporters, he said, "I want justice to be served to the wrestlers, there must be a thorough probe into the allegations raised by wrestlers and there must be a CBI probe against those who are involved in this". There must be a live recording of the interaction between the Union Sports minister or any official with the wrestlers so that we will get to know exactly what they have discussed, the Olympian who is also a Congress leader demanded adding that such a step will help in understanding the wrong from the right.
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Khiladi hone ke nate main bhi kal jantar mantar protest mein shamil rahuga 🇮🇳 #BoycottWrestlingPresident
— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) January 19, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Khiladi hone ke nate main bhi kal jantar mantar protest mein shamil rahuga 🇮🇳 #BoycottWrestlingPresident
— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) January 19, 2023Khiladi hone ke nate main bhi kal jantar mantar protest mein shamil rahuga 🇮🇳 #BoycottWrestlingPresident
— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) January 19, 2023
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote on Twitter, "From a Haryana minister to the WFI president, everyone has been accused of serious charges but there has been no resignation nor any action. This party and its government are busy shielding their leaders with respect to the security of women players. This is extremely shameful."
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हरियाणा के मिनिस्टर से लेकर WFI के अध्यक्ष तक पर गंभीर आरोप लगे, लेकिन ना इस्तीफ़े हुए, ना कार्रवाई। देश की महिला खिलाड़ियों की सुरक्षा के मसले पर इनकी पार्टी और सरकार अपने नेताओं को बचाने में लगी हैं। ये बेहद शर्मनाक है।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 20, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">हरियाणा के मिनिस्टर से लेकर WFI के अध्यक्ष तक पर गंभीर आरोप लगे, लेकिन ना इस्तीफ़े हुए, ना कार्रवाई। देश की महिला खिलाड़ियों की सुरक्षा के मसले पर इनकी पार्टी और सरकार अपने नेताओं को बचाने में लगी हैं। ये बेहद शर्मनाक है।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 20, 2023हरियाणा के मिनिस्टर से लेकर WFI के अध्यक्ष तक पर गंभीर आरोप लगे, लेकिन ना इस्तीफ़े हुए, ना कार्रवाई। देश की महिला खिलाड़ियों की सुरक्षा के मसले पर इनकी पार्टी और सरकार अपने नेताओं को बचाने में लगी हैं। ये बेहद शर्मनाक है।
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) January 20, 2023
Meanwhile, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur will hold another meeting with protesting wrestlers Friday morning, sources suggested. This came after the first round of talks that went on till Thursday midnight ended on an inconclusive note. It was reported that the star wrestlers refused to settle for any compromise. They were strong in their demand for the WFI chief's resignation.
Though some sources claimed that the president may resign at the WFI's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday some others refute the claim. Brijbhushan Saran Singh is said to hold a press conference Friday evening at the Wrestling Training Centre in Nawabganj in the Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh. Speaking about the WFI president's press conference Punia said, "We are waiting for him to come forward. We are here risking our careers. This fight is for our young wrestlers who are the future of wrestling."
