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.