Wrestler Vinesh Phogat writes an open letter to PM Modi amid the WFI controversy and returns the Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards.
Wrestlers vs. WFI: Former president of the Wrestling Federation of India Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh treated female wrestlers poorly, and Olympian Vinesh Phogat expressed her unhappiness in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Before the Sports Ministry suspended the newly elected WFI panel, India’s top wrestlers staged protests against it. According to Vinesh, she was protesting by surrendering her Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards.
Athlete Vinesh Phogat announced on Tuesday, December 26 that she would be surrendering her Arjuna and Khel Ratna awards in protest of the continuing dispute with the Wrestling Federation of India. Vinesh Phogat voiced dissatisfaction with the treatment of female wrestlers in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that was circulated on social media, despite their protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was charged with harassing wrestlers sexually.
Vinesh Phogat drew attention to the fact that, despite protests by the nation’s best wrestlers against the BJP MP and the former president of the WFI, “oppressor” Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh succeeded in repeatedly “ridicule” female wrestlers.
Vinesh emphasized that Bajrang Punia put his Padma Shri Award on the Kartavya Path pavement in New Delhi as a symbol of his stance, and that Sakshee Malikkh resigned in protest against the recently elected WFI board.
Days after the Sports Ministry banned the recently elected Wrestling Federation of India council, alleging it was influenced by its prior office-bearers, Vinesh Phogat wrote a letter to Prime Minister Modi. In a sharply worded statement, the government emphasized that the WFI office was also operating out of the home of former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was also contacted by Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur in a letter pleading with the governing body to establish an ad hoc committee to supervise the day-to-day operations of the WFI.
Notable Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, as well as Vinesh Phogat, spoke at a news conference in New Delhi a few hours after Sanjay Singh—a close assistant to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh—won the WFI presidency. With disappointment in their hearts, the wrestlers declared that the people who had previously abused them had gained control again.
THE WHOLE TEXT OF VINESH PHOGAT’S LETTER TO PM MODI
Honorable Prime Minister,
Bajrang Punia has returned his Padma Shri, and Sakshi Malik has stepped down from wrestling. As the head of state, you ought to be aware of the reasons behind the actions taken by athletes who represent the nation in the Olympics and the reasons why they had to do so. Dear Prime Minister, I am Vinesh Phogat, a citizen of your nation, and I am writing to inform you of the health issues I have been experiencing over the past year.
I recall your administration appointing Sakshi Malik as the ambassador for the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ campaign in 2016, following her Olympic medal win. Upon hearing this news, all of the female athletes in the nation expressed happiness and congrats to one another. I keep thinking back to that year 2016, the time Sakshi had to give up wrestling. Are we female athletes just supposed to appear in ads run by the government? We don’t mind being in those ads because the language used in them gives the impression that your government is sincerely trying to improve the lot of girls.
Even my goal of competing in the Olympics and taking home medals seems to be vanishing these days. All I can do is hope that aspiring female athletes’ ambitions come true.However, our lives are nothing like those elegant ads. Female wrestlers are aware of our struggles because of the hardships they have faced in recent years. Your fancy flex boards must have gotten old by now, and Sakshi has retired as well.
Although our medals and honors are only worth fifteen rupees, Sir, to us, they are worth far more than our lives. The entire country proudly congratulated us when we took home awards for the nation. We are now being called traitors when we speak up for justice. Are we betraying our country, Prime Minister?
I’m not sure why Bajrang chose to return his Padma Shri; but, just looking at that picture makes me feel unstable. After that, I’m beginning to detest my own accolades as well. My mother gave out candy to the neighbors when I got these prizes and instructed my aunts to watch Vinesh on TV because of how stunning my kid looked.
A daughter from your country,
Vinesh Phogat.
Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh distanced himself from the suspension of the WFI, saying he had retired from wrestling administration and the Sanjay Singh-led camp will deal with the proceedings in the near future.