Amid explosive circumstances following the protest organised by India’s elite wrestlers against the dictatorial nature of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.
World Championships medallist Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia assembled in front of the Jantar Mantar to protest the treatment of wrestlers by the ruling body.
Phogat alleged that the federation had issued death threats to the three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, while also stating that multiple women wrestlers have been subjected to sexual harassment by the federation’s officials.
However, WFI President, Singh, has hit back at the statements of the elite wrestler, vehemently denying the allegations levelled against him.
“Sexual harassment is a big allegation”, Singh said.
“How can I take action when my own name has been dragged into this?”, he continued.
“There is no truth in wrestlers’ allegations against me, and I am ready to be hanged even if one sexual harassment case is proved”, Singh declared.
Phogat said that “I know at least 10-12 women wrestlers who have told me about the sexual exploitation they faced at the hands of the WFI President. They told me their stories. I can’t take their names now but I can definitely reveal the names if we get to meet the Prime Minister and the Home Minister of the country.”
The wrestlers want Singh to be removed from his position at the helm of the WFI and Bajrang Punia said that the scenario had got to a point now that it is a fight to the finish.
To the demand laid out by the nation’s prominent wrestlers, Singh said “I will not quit as WFI President but I am ready for investigation by CBI or police.”
Singh questioned Phogat about not approaching law enforcement after receiving death threats.
“Why Vinesh did not approach the police if she received death threats?”, Singh added.
Further, Singh said that “An industrialist is behind this conspiracy against me.”
30 of the nation’s top wrestlers were involved in the four-hour dharna in front of the iconic monument in the capital city and have expressed that they will not participate in any tournaments until the issues at the head of the federation is resolved.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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