‘hang me if allegations are found true’, says federation chief
AMN / NEW DELHI
At a press conference in New Delhi Today World medalist Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik accuses WFI president and multiple time MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh of sexual exploitation of women wrestlers at national camps.
Stating that there was no truth in wrestlers’ allegations against him, WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said, “I am ready to be hanged even if one sexual harassment case is proved.”
“An industrialist is behind this conspiracy against me. Why Vinesh did not approach police if she received death threats,” he said.
Singh added that: “I will not quit as WFI President but I am ready for investigation by CBI or police.” Vinesh, a world championship medallist and Olympian, also claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers, adding that there are a few women at the camp who approach wresters at the behest of the WFI President.
The 28-year-old though clarified that she herself has not faced such exploitation but claimed that she had received death threats at the behest of WFI president from officials close to him because she dared to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attention to several issues plaguing Indian wrestling when she met him 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.
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.