New Delhi: Olympic medal-winning Indian wrestlers have accused the chief of the sport’s governing body and several coaches of sexually harassing multiple female athletes, with the opposition questioning the government’s silence.
The wrestlers, led by Olympic bronze winners Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, began protesting in the capital New Delhi on Wednesday after accusing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment. The sit-in protest has continued on Thursday.
Singh, who has been heading the WFI since 2011, is a six-time member of parliament from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Commonwealth Games women’s gold winner Vinesh Phogat said that coaches and the WFI president have sexually harassed multiple girls.
“Women wrestlers have been sexually harassed at national camps by coaches and also the WFI president,” the 28-year-old athlete said. “I know at least 10-20 girls in the national camp who have come and told me their stories,” she told reporters.
Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and other Indian wrestlers take part in a protest. Phogat said many wrestlers were intimidated from coming forward.
“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 added. She did not state that she was a victim herself.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra came out in support of the athletes demanding investigation into the allegations.
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