Indian wrestlers who have won Olympic medals have accused the president of their sport’s governing organization and its instructors of sexually assaulting female athletes. They have vowed to protest until the federation is dissolved and the head is investigated.
Olympic bronze medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, as well as Commonwealth Games women’s gold medalist Vinesh Phogat, staged a sit-in protest in the capital city of New Delhi on Wednesday, as they made the charges public.
They have accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India and a member of parliament for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, of sexual harassment.
Singh has refuted all charges made against him and stated that the athletes have no proof to substantiate their claims. The athletes claim to know five or six players who have been harassed in the past.
The wrestlers met with sports ministry officials on Thursday and were “assured” of action, Malik, the first Indian woman to win an Olympic wrestling medal, told reporters at the protest site.
Phogat added, “We have not received a satisfactory response.”
The sports ministry stated in a statement on Wednesday that it took the situation “very seriously” and had requested a response from the federation within 72 hours.
Punia, one of India’s best male wrestlers, Malik, and Phogat stated that they would not compete in any events unless the wrestling federation was dissolved and appropriate action was taken.
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