Vinesh Phogat Reveals Herself to be One of the Six Victims of Sexual Exploitation by Former WFI Chief

Rohit Kumar

NEW DELHI, May 3: India’s one of the decorated wrestler Vinesh Phogat n Sunday revealed that she was one of the six female wrestlers to become victims of sexual harassment by the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and cautioned that the government would be responsible if anything untoward happened during the coming National Open Ranking Tournament.

The cautioning came as Vinesh Phogat is set to make a long-awaited return to the mat with the participation in the open ranking tournament to be held in Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, the home of Mr Singh, against whom she and other wrestlers had launched an agitation last year for alleged sexual exploitation of female athletes. The WFI current president Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brijbhushan, said the venue of the tournament would not be changed but offered a “personal guarantee” of safety.

In her video message, the 31-year-old Phogat highlighted the psychological strain of competing in what she described as a hostile environment. “For a woman athlete, it is very difficult to compete in such a situation. We already carry the pressure of expectations-from our teams and from the country.”

Raising apprehensions about “biased officiating” in her comeback event, Ms Phogat alleged that the competition, slated to be held at a venue linked to Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, could see results influenced by individuals close to the former WFI chief.

“If any untoward incident happens to me, my team or supporters during the competition, the Indian government will be responsible,” she reiterated, while urging media and the sporting community to be present at the venue to ensure transparency.

“The tournament is being organized at a place where his (Brij) influence is strong. Who will officiate which bout, how many points will be awarded, who will sit as mat chairman, everything can be controlled by him and his people,” Ms Phogat further added. She further claimed that both the government and the sports ministry have failed to intervene, effectively allowing such conditions to persist.

Ms Phogat, currently a Congress member of the Haryana Assembly, who has resumed training in recent months, said she wanted to return to the mat “honestly” and win medals for the country again after a break of nearly 18 months, but expressed doubts over a level playing field. “I don’t want any privilege or special treatment. I only want that results should reflect the hard work of athletes on the mat,” she added.

The 2018 Asian gold medalist, Ms Phogat also voiced concern over the mental pressure of competing in an environment she described as hostile, particularly given her role as one of the complainants in the ongoing sexual harassment case against Mr Singh. “I doubt if I will be able to give my 100% in that environment.” She further alleged inaction from authorities, saying the government and Sports Ministry were “watching as spectators” and had effectively given a “free hand” to Mr Singh.

Invoking the Supreme Court’s guidelines on protecting the identity and dignity of victims, Ms Phogat said she felt compelled to speak publicly due to the circumstances. “I am one of the six women wrestlers who filed complaints. The case is still in court and witnesses are being examined. Competing at a place linked to him, where most people present may be associated with him, puts immense mental pressure on me,” she said.

“If Vinesh is worried about her safety, let me assure her that I am taking personal guarantee of that. Also, we have UWW-approved referees who officiate and all trial bouts are recorded, so there is no chance of any bias,” Sanjay Singh said. “And let me add that this is an Open tournament which is not mandatory. The choice is hers to compete. We are not going to change the venue,” he added.

The National Open Ranking tournament is scheduled to be held from May 10-12. The tournament will open with the men’s freestyle trials and will be followed by Greco Roman (May 11) and women’s events (May 12). Ms Phogat will compete in 57kg in Gonda. She has competed in 50kg and 53kg in the past. She has been away from competition since the 2024 Paris Olympics after getting disqualified in the finals for being overweight. Before that a prolonged standoff between some leading wrestlers including her and Mr Singh was going on over alleged sexual harassment.

The protests, which began in 2023, saw several top grapplers, including Olympic medalists, demanding action against the then federation chief. Multiple women wrestlers had filed complaints, leading to legal proceedings that are currently underway. Mr Singh has denied all allegations. The controversy had also led to administrative upheaval in the WFI, including suspension of activities and intervention by the Sports Ministry at various stages.