Wrestler Vinesh Phogat Is Scared, WFI Assures Her Of Safety

NEW DELHI- Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh addressed concerns raised by wrestler Vinesh Phogat over safety and fairness, assuring that the federation is taking full responsibility while ruling out any last-minute changes to the tournament venue.

“If Vinesh is worried about her safety, let me assure her that I am taking personal guarantee of that. Also, we have UWW-approved referees who officiate and all trial bouts are recorded, so there is no chance of any bias,” Sanjay Singh, president of the Wrestling Federation of India, said in a statement.

Vinesh Phogat revealed that she is one of the six women wrestlers who filed a formal complaint of sexual harassment against former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Breaking her silence while the matter remains sub judice, Vinesh also issued a warning to the Central Government and the Union Sports Ministry regarding the upcoming National Open Ranking Tournament scheduled to be held in Gonda, a stronghold of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

In a video shared on social media, she  said that while Supreme Court guidelines protect the identity of victims to preserve their dignity, she felt compelled to speak out due to the current circumstances.

“Three years ago, we raised our voices against sexual harassment. Six women wrestlers have already testified before the court. I did not want to speak while the case is still pending, but I want to tell you all today: I myself am one of those six victims who filed a complaint, and our testimonies are still ongoing,” she said. (IANS)