On Wednesday, 18th January 2023, around 30 wrestlers including Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat accused the Wrestling Federation of India’s national president Brij Bhushan Singh of dictatorship, and sexually harassing women players. The wrestlers staged a protest at Jantar Mantar against him, and demanded his removal from the post.
The wrestlers said that they will fight this battle till the end and will not sit silently until Brij Bhushan Singh is removed from the post. Brij Bhushan Singh is also a BJP MP from the Kaiserganj seat in Uttar Pradesh.
Among the athletes who have at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar are 30 wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh, Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik, world championship medallist Sarita Mor, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyavrat Malik, Jitendra Kinha and Commonwealth Games medallist Sumit Malik.
The wrestlers said that they are opposing some policies of the Wrestler Federation of India. Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat addressed a press conference during the protest. The wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar said that ever since they raised their voices, they have been threatened. They said, “We have all the wrestlers here today. What is being done to us will not be allowed to happen further. The mental harassment that is being done will not be allowed to happen.”
Bajrang Punia has accused the president of the Wrestling Federation of using abusive words and abusing him. He said, “We are here to play. He is specifically targeting the players and the state. We are being mentally tortured by the federation. The rules are made by the federation just one day in advance. The president is playing the entire role. The president abuses us. He even slapped the players.”
खिलाड़ी पूरी मेहनत कर के देश को मेडल दिलाता हैं लेकिन फेडरेशन ने हमें नीचा दिखाने के अलावा कुछ नहीं किया। मनचाहे क़ायदे क़ानून लगा कर खिलाड़ियों को प्रताड़ित किया जा रहा है। #BoycottWFIPresident#BoycottWrestlingPresident @narendramodi @AmitShah @PMOIndia
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) January 18, 2023
Bajrang Punia added, “Wrestlers do not want to tolerate this dictatorship. We want a change in the management of the Wrestling Federation of India. We hope the Prime Minister and the Home Minister will support us.
फेडरेशन का काम खिलाड़ियों का साथ देना, उनकी खेल की जरूरतों का ध्यान रखना होता है। कोई समस्या हो तो उसका निदान करना होता है। लेकिन अगर फेडरेशन ही समस्या खड़ी करे तो क्या किया जाए?
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) January 18, 2023
अब लड़ना पड़ेगा, हम पीछे नहीं हटेंगे । #BoycottWFIPresident#BotcottWrestlingPresident
Vinesh Phogat accused the President of the Wrestling Federation of India of sexual harassment. She also complained about the coaching staff. She said, “Coaches sexually harass wrestlers. I raised my voice against this. Brij Bhushan Singh also sexually harasses women wrestlers.”
खिलाड़ी आत्मसम्मान चाहता है और पूरी शिद्दत के साथ ओलंपिक और बड़े खेलो के लिए तैयारी करता है लेकिन अगर फेडरेशन उसका साथ ना दे मनोबल टूट जाता है।लेकिन अब हम नही झुकेंगे।अपने अधिकारों के लिए लड़ेंगे।#BoycottWFIPresident#BoycottWrestlingPresident@PMOIndia @narendramodi @AmitShah
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) January 18, 2023
Vinesh Phogat said that no one takes responsibility when injured. She also said that the president talks about not playing on the national level. She said crying, “After the Tokyo Olympics defeat, the WFI president called me a ‘false coin’ (meaning non-reliable player). The WFI tortured me mentally. I used to think about ending my life every day. If something happens to a wrestler, the responsibility will be on the WFI president.”
Vinesh Phogat added, “They (the federation) also interfere in our personal lives and harass us. They are exploiting us. When we went to the Olympics, we didn’t have a physio or a coach. Coaches are harassing women wrestlers and some of the federation’s favorite coaches also misbehave with women coaches. The WFI president sexually assaulted several girls.”
