In a courageous move, India’s ace wrestler, Vinesh Phogat, and World Championship medallist, has taken a stand against the election of Sanjay Singh, a close aide of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Singh has been accused of sexual harassment by three well-known grapplers.
Phogat, along with Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, protested against Singh’s election. In a significant act of dissent, Vinesh Phogat returned her Khel Ratna award and Arjuna Award, placing them on Kartavya Path in Delhi.
Earlier this week, Vinesh Phogat expressed her disillusionment, stating that such honors have become meaningless when wrestlers are struggling to get justice. She wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing her desire to return the awards, emphasizing the current struggles faced by wrestlers.
As a mark of protest, Phogat attempted to return the awards to the Prime Minister’s Office, but the police intervened. The Sports Ministry had suspended the newly-elected panel due to constitutional violations, urging the Indian Olympic Association to form an ad-hoc panel.
Sakshi Malik also announced her retirement from wrestling in response to Singh’s appointment as WFI Chief.
The wrestling community’s bold protest reflects a demand for accountability and justice in the sporting arena.
