Star Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has announced her decision to return the prestigious Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards, becoming the latest high-profile athlete to join the award wapsi protests against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
In a scathing letter to PM Modi, Phogat alleged that WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh had spared no efforts to emotionally torment women wrestlers by making insulting statements.
“He compared us to prostitutes…I request you to spare 5 minutes from your busy schedule and listen to his speeches. That will make you understand how much he has humiliated us,” her letter read.
Phogat urged the PM to review clips of Singh’s offensive speeches to get a true grasp of the suffering caused to women wrestlers. Her sharp words come days after Sakshi Malik announced retirement from the sport while Bajrang Punia publicly surrendered his Padma Shri medal.
The intense award return spree stems from the controversial election of Singh’s close aide Sanjay Singh as WFI President last week. The wrestlers have alleged that Sanjay’s elevation will allow the sexual harassment-accused Singh to continue pulling strings.
Vinesh Phogat has been at the forefront of the anti-WFI movement along with Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik for weeks, staging high-profile dharnas. But with their key demand of Singh’s complete removal from wrestling remaining unmet, the grapplers have now turned to returning awards as gestures of protest.
While Sanjay Singh has defended his election as above-board and slammed the suspensions, pressure is increasing on authorities to remedy the situation. With the expanding award wapsi saga denting India’s sporting reputation, the ball seems to be in the government’s court to take stern action and deliver justice.
