WFI prez exploiting women wrestlers: Phogat

January 18, 2023 18:07

Vinesh Phogat

In a startling revelation, a crying Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday alleged that Wresting Federation of India president and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for many years and sought the intervention of Prime Minister and Home Minister for his removal.

Vinesh, a world championship medallist and Olympian, also claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers, adding that there are a few women at the camp who approach wresters at the behest of the WFI president.

The 28-year-old though clarified that she herself has not faced such exploitation but claimed that she had received death threats at the behest of WFI president from officials close to him because she dared to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attention to several issues plaguing Indian wrestling when she met him after the Tokyo Games.

"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," Vinesh said addressing the media after staging a four-hour dharna at Jantar Mantar.

Sitting beside Vinesh, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia said the federation is being run in an arbitrary manner and they will not compete in any international competition unless the WFI President is removed. -- PTI

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