Vinesh Phogat alleges WFI president sexually assaulted women wrestlers: ‘I have received death threats’

Vinesh Phogat alleged that the Wresting Federation of India (WFI) President and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for several years now and urged the Prime Minister and Home Minister to intervene into the matter. She further claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers. 

"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, a world championship medallist and Olympian, said addressing the media after staging a four-hour dharna at Jantar Mantar.

She, however, clarified that she herself has not faced such exploitation but claimed that she had received death threats from officials close to the WFI President as she informed PM Modi about the difficulties that Indian wrestlers are facing when she met him after the Tokyo Games.

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.

In an unprecedented move, the country's top wrestlers, gathered to protest against the "dictatorship" of the WFI President.

Rio Olympics medallist Sakshi Malik, world championship medallist Sarita Mor, Sangeeta Phogat, Satyawart Malik, Jitender Kinha and CWG medallist Sumit Malik were among 30 wrestlers who assembled at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.

"Our fight is not against the government or the Sports Authority of India (SAI). This is against WFI. 'Yeh ab aar paar ki ladai hai' (It's a fight to the finish). We will continue this protest until WFI President is removed," Bajrang Punia told PTI.

"We will not compete in any international competition until WFI President is removed. This is a fight to save Indian wrestling," Punia later said while addressing the media.

(With inputs from agencies)