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Wrestlers vs WFI President: 'Remove Brij Bhushan' chorus grows amid multiple sexual abuse claims

Meanwhile, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia stated that Indian wrestlers will not compete in any international competition until WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is removed.

Wrestlers vs WFI President: 'Remove Brij Bhushan' chorus grows amid multiple sexual abuse claims snt
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First Published Jan 18, 2023, 5:48 PM IST

In a startling revelation, a crying Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday alleged that Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for many years and sought the intervention of Prime Minister and Home Minister for his removal. 

Olympian and world championship medalist Vinesh also claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow had taken advantage of female wrestlers, and that some of the camp's female staff members approached wrestlers on the WFI President's orders.

The 28-year-old made it clear that she has not experienced such exploitation, but she claimed that she has received death threats at the request of the WFI President from people close to him because she dared to bring up several problems affecting Indian wrestling when she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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. 

Wrestlers vs WFI President: 'Remove Brij Bhushan' chorus grows amid multiple sexual abuse claims snt

Sitting beside Vinesh, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia said the federation is being run arbitrarily and will only compete in an international competition if the WFI President is removed. 

Also read: Wrestlers stage protest against WFI President's Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh 'dictatorship'

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.

Bajrang's support staff, including his coach Sujeet Mann and physio Anand Dubey also joined the protest. "The dictatorship will not be tolerated," said another wrestler. Singh has been at the helm since 2011. He was elected President of WFI for the third consecutive time in February 2019.

(With inputs from PTI)

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