Safeguarding Indian women wrestlers may be key to federation’s return
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(From left) Indian wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik address a news conference as they take part in a sit-in protest.
PHOTO: REUTERS
NEW DELHI – The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), which is battling a sexual harassment scandal, may need to safeguard women wrestlers to get its suspension lifted, the game’s global governing body said on Dec 23.
The WFI was suspended by United World Wrestling (UWW) in August after failing to hold its election on time.
The UWW had asked for a fresh election after the WFI’s then president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, a lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, was charged with sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has denied wrongdoing and is out on bail, but the victory of Sanjay Singh, a candidate he backed as his successor in the election on Dec 21,
Sakshi Malik, a top woman wrestler, quit the game in protest, while male wrestler and fellow Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia returned one of India’s highest civilian awards.
“Conditions to address the concerns about safeguarding (women wrestlers) could also be requested,” a UWW spokesperson said, when asked about the possibility of lifting the suspension on the WFI.
“We are still gathering feedback from representatives on-site to determine if the conduct of the election was valid and well organised. Before we can lift the suspension, we need to receive the official information from the national federation and the confirmation by the NOC (national Olympic committee) and the Ministry of Sports.”
Wrestlers had previously staged a sit-in protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in New Delhi and had to be talked out of their plans to throw their medals into the River Ganges in May.
Punia on Dec 22 shared his letter to Mr Modi on social media site X, saying he would “not be able to live with the respect bestowed upon him by the government of India at a time when women wrestlers have been insulted”.
The protesting women wrestlers also said a day earlier when Sanjay Singh was elected that they were shocked that a man supported by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was allowed to lead the WFI.
The new president, meanwhile, told the Indian media that he has written to the UWW to have the ban on the WFI lifted as soon as possible, as wrestlers have been affected to a large extent.
“The wrestlers, both junior and senior, have suffered a lot in the last few months for lack of competitions. Our priority is to restart the competitions. We are working towards that,” he said. REUTERS
