A day after Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing women wrestlers, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said all the issues raised by agitating wrestling athletes will be taken seriously.
“The safety of our women athletes is very important and we take it seriously. We will not let their morale down. All the issues raised by the athletes will be taken seriously,” Khattar said,
One of India’s most decorated women wrestlers, Phogat was yesterday joined by other top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, at a protest in Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against the Federation and Singh, who denied the allegations.
The three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist also accused Singh of calling her a ‘khota sikka’ after defeat in the Tokyo Olympics. She claimed to have received death threats from people close to Singh and said at least 20 women had been sexually exploited by him.
Top wrestling champions of India, including Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Mallikkh, Vinesh Phogat, have been protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi for the second straight day, accusing the WFI of not treating players properly. The players demand that the WFI is disbanded and a new federation is brought into place.