The protest of top wrestling stars in the country against the WFI director’s alleged sexual assault has flanked a massive controversy in the country, for the second day straight near about 200 wrestlers are in Delhi staging a protest to demand action against the federation chief and other coaches whom they have accused harassing multiple athletes.
Olympians Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and other top Indian grapplers, who are protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), spent Wednesday night at a temple in Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi and left again this morning to press their demands.
Vinesh Phogat, the decorated triple Commonwealth Gold Medallist said she was subjected to mental harassment by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, adding that she had even contemplated suicide, while the accused has shrugged off terming all the allegations baseless.
Where will this case head is a call of time, presenting to you the latest developments in the case so far:
• On the allegations of wrestlers spearheaded by Vinesh Phogat and others the Union Sports Ministry has asked WFI to respond to the allegations in 72 hours.
• WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who happens to be the BJP MP as well has denied all the charges, in a statement to the press he said, "All the sexual harassment allegations are false, and I will commit suicide if they are found to be true. I tried to get in touch with the wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, but was unable to do so.”
• Bajrang Punia who is among the top wrestlers protesting against the WFI president said the latter is running the federation in a high-handed manner, in a tweet he went on to write, "The job of the federation is to support the players and take care of their sporting needs. If there is a problem, it has to be solved.”
• Vinesh Phogat in the address to the press said, "Women wrestlers have been sexually harassed at national camps by coaches and also the WFI president. I know at least 10-20 girls in the national camp who have come and told me their stories.”
• Talking about her journey she said, she never faced such exploitation but claimed many wrestlers were intimidated from coming ahead to talk about their sufferings, "They are scared because of their family background. They can't fight them because they are powerful. Wrestling is our only livelihood, and they are not letting us do it. Our only option is to die. So might as well do good before dying," she stated further while speaking from the protest.
• Another renowned Olympian medallist Sakshi Malik who is staging the protest wrote in a tweet, "Athletes work hard to win medals for the country, but the federation has done nothing but let us down.”
• Babita Phogat, sister of Vinesh Phogat and BJP leader tweeted, "I stand with all my fellow players in this matter of wrestling. I assure all of you that I will work to raise this issue with the government at every level, and the future will be decided the way players feel right."
• The city-based commission for women DCW, has gone on to issue a notice to the sports ministry and asked the Delhi Police to file a case in the matter. Organization’s chief Swati Maliwal also met protestors at the Jantar Mantar.
• Pertinent to mention here that the case has taken the center stage months after the country’s national cycling team coach was sacked from his responsibilities following charges of sexual allegations against him.
Not in direct relation, but the #MeToo movement that gathered momentum in 2018 after multiple Bollywood actresses raised their voices against the assault, women from several other domains came ahead to talk about their plight, which includes charges against a former central minister, however, years after that it is clear to say that little has changed and the journey is still left miles to cover.