What sparked stir by wrestlers: Calls from girls over ‘unsafe environment’ at camp

THE TRIGGER for India’s prime wrestlers to stage an unprecedented protest towards the game’s directors was a collection of cellphone calls that two-time world championship medallist Vinesh Phogat acquired from a number of younger girls expressing fears in regards to the “unsafe environment” at a nationwide camp they have been requested to attend in Lucknow, The Indian Express has learnt.

It was after the younger wrestlers advised her about their plan to boycott the camp — and even give up the game — that Vinesh determined to go public Wednesday with allegations of sexual harassment towards Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and different nationwide coaches.

The Lucknow camp, which was to start Wednesday and for which the ladies wrestlers have been known as earlier this month, was cancelled by the Sports Ministry. The protest, which marked its second day at Jantar Mantar within the nationwide capital, has acquired wide-spread help to date.

Late Thursday, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur met the wrestlers at the same time as Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president and former dash star PT Usha requested them to “come forward and voice their concerns” with the affiliation. “We will ensure complete investigation to ensure justice,” Usha posted on Twitter.

The WFI, in the meantime, determined to carry an emergency normal council assembly in Ayodhya Sunday to debate the allegations, based on the federation’s assistant secretary Vinod Tomar.

Wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik sit on a dharna towards the Wrestling Federation of India in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Express picture by Praveen Khanna)

Earlier within the day, the sit-in protest venue was packed after worldwide wrestlers and dangal pehelwans from Haryana, UP and Rajasthan, together with farmer chief Narendra Tau, gathered after Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia sought help on Instagram the earlier night time.

Speaking to The Indian Express, a core member of protest group mentioned, “After those calls (from the women wrestlers), Vinesh and Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang had a chat among themselves and decided that Brij Bhushan and the coaches involved in sexual harassment over the years have to be called out. Other elite wrestlers Anshu Malik and Sonam Malik (both of whom were part of the Tokyo Olympics contingent) also came on board.”

It is learnt that the ladies wrestlers additionally advised Vinesh of comparable incidents prior to now, and he or she determined that “enough was enough” when appeals to vary the camp venue fell on deaf ears.

On Day 2 of the sit-in, Vinesh was continuously contacted over cellphone by girls wrestlers who wished to speak in regards to the harassment that they had confronted allegedly “because of the WFI president”, sources mentioned.

Speaking to reporters, Vinesh mentioned, “Yesterday (Wednesday), there were two to three girls who were ready to talk about sexual harassment with proof. Today, I can say that there are five to six wrestlers who are ready to talk and come out with proof about sexual harassment. I even got calls from women wrestlers in Kerala. Those from Maharashtra are also saying that they have had similar bad experiences.”

Vinesh, who together with Bajrang and others from the protest group met Sports Ministry officers, mentioned the wrestlers won’t depart the venue till the WFI president is sacked. “It will be sad for wrestling if girls have to come out and give their names and provide proof about harassment. Don’t force us to do that,” Vinesh mentioned, including that if there was no passable response, they’ll file an FIR towards Singh.

On Thursday, amongst those that joined the protest stage was Vinesh’s uncle Mahavir Phogat, father and coach of the sisters Babita and Sangeeta, and the inspiration behind Aamir Khan’s Bollywood hit “Dangal”.

Mahavir’s daughter and BJP chief Babita, too, visited the venue with a message from the Government. “I have assured them that the Government is with them. I will try to ensure that their issues are resolved today,” Babita mentioned. Bajrang, by the way, is married to Sangeeta.

On Wednesday, the Sports Ministry had given WFI chief Singh and the federation 72 hours to submit an evidence, failing which motion could be initiated based on provisions of the National Sports Development Code.

Bajrang’s long-time roommate at camps and worldwide wrestler Jitender careworn the significance of collective would possibly. “When we first spoke about the idea of a protest, the first discussion was about staying united because we are fighting against very powerful people. Today, hundreds of wrestlers have joined us,” the Asian Championship silver medallist mentioned.

“Once the WFI president said the majority of wrestlers were not supporting the protests, Bajrang posted a video on social media last evening asking all wrestlers to join. You can see the huge turnout today,” he mentioned.

Bajrang mentioned the preliminary plan was to have solely a detailed circle of wrestlers on the protest. “The president said yesterday that only 3 per cent of wrestlers were with us. Today, look around, wrestlers from all wrestling hubs of India are here,” he mentioned.

Apart from Bajrang’s Instagram put up, a video enchantment was additionally posted on-line by Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Ravi Dahiya. Dahiya belongs to the capital’s greatest wrestling hub at Chhatrasal Stadium that was made well-known by India’s most-decorated wrestler Sushil Kumar who’s at the moment in jail for involvement in a homicide case.

At the protest web site, Rakesh Yadav, a wrestler from Baghpat, mentioned he and a dozen wrestlers travelled to Jantar Mantar after Bajrang’s video calling for help. Another wrestler from Baghpat, Sandeep Tomar, a former Asian Championship medalist, have been among the many audio system on the protest Thursday.

Even coaches who have been a part of the system until just lately got here to satisfy the wrestlers. Kuldeep Malik, a former chief coach of the ladies’s group, mentioned he determined to face in solidarity with the wrestlers after seeing Vinesh’s plea on tv. “Maybe the girls were scared to speak up earlier. When I was coach I never received any complaints. But there needs to be a thorough inquiry into what happened,” Malik, who was chief coach from 2013 to 2021, mentioned.

As the numbers swelled on the protest web site, politicians, farm leaders and activists made a beeline to the stage. Former CPI(M) MP Brinda Karat was amongst them however she stepped apart after wrestlers introduced that they didn’t wish to politicise the protest.

Meanwhile, WFI chief Singh’s official residence on Ashoka Road, not removed from the protest web site, had a police presence. Visitors weren’t allowed even to the WFI workplace housed inside the bungalow. A protesting wrestler, who was ready outdoors, mentioned, “We worship Lord Hanuman and remember, he burned down Ravan’s Lanka. A similar fate awaits wrestling’s bahubali (strongman).”