On Friday, June 23, Olympic medalist wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Vinesh Phogat entered into a heated argument after Dutt questioned the exemption granted to the six protesting wrestlers by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Yogeshwar Dutt questioned the IOA’s logic and criteria behind granting exemption to Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart Kadian, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and his wife Sangeeta Phogat and Jitendra Kinha from the Asian Games and World Championship trials.
Following the exemption, the six wrestlers will have to win just one bout against the winners of trials in their respective categories to secure their place in the Indian team. The IOA ad-hoc panel went a step ahead in their generosity as they pushed the trials to August only for the six wrestlers involved in the protests against WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in an alleged sexual harassment matter. Unlike these six wrestlers, the others will be having their trials in July itself.
Yogeshwar Dutt questions IOA’s trial exemption for wrestlers who joined protests against WFI chief Brij Bhushan
In a video posted on Twitter, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt said that the protesting wrestlers were away from the mat for nearly a year adding that such an exemption would be unfair to the rest of the wrestlers.
“I’m not sure what criteria the IOA committee used to decide on the trials, and that too for these six wrestlers only. Ravi Dahiya is an Olympic silver medalist as well as a CWG gold medalist, Deepak Punia is a CWG gold medalist, Anshu Malik is a World silver medalist, Sonam Malik is also there and many others. I don’t understand why these six wrestlers have been granted an exemption. This is utterly wrong. Even in the old WFI setup, this was not done,” Dutt said.
Moreover, Yogeshwar Dutt urged wrestlers of various categories to speak up against the alleged “discrimination”.
“I am requesting that all greco-roman, men’s freestyle, and women wrestlers raise their voices in protest of this unfairness. I’m not asking you to sit in protest but raise your voice through the media and write letters to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, Anurag Thakur, the Sports Minister, and the IOA,” Dutt said.
Furthermore, Dutt asserted that even when teams were sent without trials, the best teams were chosen; however, the protesting wrestlers have been away from the wrestling mat for around a year.
क्या धरना देने वाले खिलाड़ियों का यही मकसद था? कुश्ती के लिए यह काला दिन!! #wrestling pic.twitter.com/OacaEJmpz5
— Yogeshwar Dutt (@DuttYogi) June 23, 2023
“Such a step has never been taken in the history of Indian wrestling. Even if they sent teams with no trials, the best team was chosen. Exemptions had been granted in the past, but not to everyone; only exceptional performers and in-form wrestlers were considered. These six wrestlers have been away from the mat for a year, so this is wrong,” he stated.
Dutt also urged Khap Panchayats and farmer groups to pay attention to the recent developments and understand the “motives” of the protesting wrestlers.
Vinesh Phogat hits back, accuses Yogeshwar Dutt of being a boot-licker of Brij Bhushan
Dutt’s video soon triggered a long and scathing response from Vinesh Phogat who in a long tweet accused him of licking the feet of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Calling Dutt “spineless” Vinesh alleged that he was insensitive to the female wrestlers as a member of the panel probing the complaints adding that he pressurized their families to take their cases back.
She further claimed that Dutt used to have a “cheap laugh” while hearing the ordeal of women wrestlers.
“When I heard the video of Yogeshwar Dutt, his ugly laugh got stuck in my mind. He was a part of both the committees made for women wrestlers. When women wrestlers were narrating their ordeals before the committee, he used to laugh very badly. When two female wrestlers came out to drink water, he came out and told them that nothing would happen to Brij Bhushan. Go and do your practice,” Vinesh Phogat tweeted.
Phogat further accused Dutt of leaking the names of women wrestlers to Brij Bhushan and the media. She also alleged that despite giving statements against women wrestlers publicly, he was appointed to both committees.
Vinesh Phogat went on to claim that Dutt was trying to stop the wrestlers and coaches from joining the protests.
“The whole wrestling world understood that Yogeshwar was eating leftovers from Brij Bhushan’s plate”, she added.
In her tweet in Hindi, Phogat accused Yogeshwar of making derogatory remarks regarding Indian Army jawans, students, Muslims, and Sikhs.
योगेश्वर दत्त का वीडियो सुना तो उसकी वह घटिया हंसी दिमाग़ में अटक गई. वह महिला पहलवानों के लिए बनी दोनों कमेटियों का हिस्सा था. जब कमेटी के सामने महिला पहलवान अपनी आपबीती बता रही थीं तो वह बहुत घटिया तरह से हंसने लगता. जब 2 महिला पहलवान पानी पीने के लिए बाहर आयीं तो बाहर आकर उनको…
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) June 23, 2023
“Earlier he made cheap comments about farmers, jawans, students, Muslims, Sikhs and now he is engaged in defaming women wrestlers.” Vinesh said Yogeshwar hasn’t been able to win any election because he is a traitor and a “poisonous snake,” Phogat tweeted.
“Do not use force to break the resolve of female wrestlers; they are very determined.” You could get a broken back. You’ve already laid your spine under Brij Bhushan’s feet. “You are a very insensitive person who flatters a tyrant,” she continued.
It is worth noting that though Vinesh Phogat leveled serious allegations against Yogeswar Dutt, however, she did not respond to the questions raised by Dutt regarding trial exemption granted exclusively to the protesting wrestlers.
Interestingly, in April, some protesting wrestlers including Vinesh Phogat had given statements demanding direct entry to the Olympics without competing for the nationals. Ideally, athletes who compete at the national level should get a chance to show their potential on the international platform.
Opinion: Sexual assault is a serious allegation and Brijbhushan should be removed from the post until further investigation. But, Vinesh Phogat saying 'We won't play Nationals, will directly go in Olympics' is wierd.
— Deeksha Negi (@NegiDeekshaa) January 20, 2023
Is this about wrestlers or their lobby?#WrestlersProtest pic.twitter.com/iYuI3C0082
In a media statement in April, Vignesh Phogat said a separate federation for wrestlers in Haryana has been created and none of the protesting wrestlers would compete in nationals. She claimed they are ready to compete at the Olympics directly.
Wrestlers protest against former WFI chief
The wrestlers have been protesting against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest. Female wrestlers have alleged that Singh sexually harassed them. Two FIRs were registered against Singh on the complaint of seven female wrestlers, including one allegedly minor wrestler. Singh was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POCSO Act. However, recently it was reported the minor wrestler withdrew her statement in front of the magistrate and recorded a new one under Section 164 of the CrPC.
