Protesting Wrestlers write to IOA chief PT Usha

Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Ravi Dahiya and Deepak Punia wrote to PT Usha, President of the Idia Olympic Association on sexual harassment complaints against Wrestling Federation India Chairman Brij Bhushan Saran Singh. In the letter to the IOA president Usha, they demanded resignation of the WFI chief and the formation of an inquiry committee on the allegations of sexual harassment. Several ace Wrestlers of the country participated in the sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Indian wrestler and Commonwealth Games medallist Vinesh Phogat on the first day of protest alleges that coaches who are favourites of the WFI misbehaved with women and harass them. She also accused the Federation chief Brij Bhushan and Sharan Singh for sexually harassing girls and calling her ‘Khota sikka’ after her defeat at Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Denying the claims by the wrestlers Sharan Singh said, “I read that the name of the chief coach has also been taken in sexual assault allegations. I also read that the reason for the players’ camp being held in Lucknow. 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.”