Here’s what you need to know about sexual abuse scandal in Indian wrestling

As pressure mounts on India’s wrestling federation chief following allegations of sexual harassment leveled against him by the top athletes, including Olympic and Commonwealth medalists, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has rejected all the allegations, including that of sexual harassment against its president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, and claimed that the wrestlers’ protest was motivated by a “hidden agenda to dislodge the current management”.

It should be noted that dozens of male and female wrestlers along with some coaches and trainees have announced a boycott of all competitions until Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is removed.

The protesting athletes, led by Vinesh Phogat — a three-time Commonwealth Games champion and one of India’s most decorated woman wrestlers — met the sports minister Anurag Thakur for the second time late Friday to urge the government to intervene.

Phogat has accused Singh of harassing “several young wrestlers” and said that she knew “at least 10 to 20 girls” who had recounted sexual harassment at wrestling camps.

Hours after Phogat and other top athletes wrote a letter to PT Usha, president of the Indian Olympic Association, the organization late Friday announced a seven-member panel to investigate all harassment charges against Singh, media reports said.

The Scandal

Olympic medal-winning Indian wrestlers have accused the chief of the sport’s governing body and several coaches of sexually harassing multiple female athletes, with the opposition questioning the government’s silence.

The wrestlers, led by Olympic bronze winners Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, began protesting in the capital New Delhi on Wednesday after accusing the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment. The sit-in protest has continued on Thursday.

Singh, who has been heading the WFI since 2011, is a six-time member of parliament from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Commonwealth Games women’s gold winner Vinesh Phogat said that coaches and the WFI president have sexually harassed multiple girls.

“Women wrestlers have been sexually harassed at national camps by coaches and also the WFI president,” the 28-year-old athlete said.

“I know at least 10-20 girls in the national camp who have come and told me their stories,” she told reporters.

Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and other Indian wrestlers take part in a protest.

Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and other Indian wrestlers take part in a protest demanding the disbandment of the WFI and the investigation of its head by the police [Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters]

Phogat said many wrestlers were intimidated from coming forward.

“They are scared because of their family background. They can’t fight them because they are powerful.”

“Wrestling is our only livelihood and they are not letting us do it. Our only option is to die. So might as well do good before dying,” she added. She did not state that she was a victim herself.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra came out in support of the athletes demanding investigation into the allegations.