'Sex exploitation by WFI Prez': Women wrestlers flex muscles

New Delhi, PTI: In a startling revelation, a crying Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday alleged that Wresting Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has been sexually exploiting women wrestlers for many years, a charge vehemently rejected by the sports administrator and BJP MP.

Vinesh, who has been at loggerheads with WFI since the Tokyo Olympic Games, also claimed that several coaches at the national camp in Lucknow have also exploited women wrestlers, adding there are a few women at the camp who approached the wrestlers at the behest of the WFI President. The 28-year-old though clarified that she herself never faced such exploitation but claimed that "one victim" was present at the 'dharna' they began at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.

So disturbed was Vinesh that she along with Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Bajrang Punia had even met Union Home Minister Amit Shah to flag their issues about three months back. "We had met the Home Minister and he had assured us that, 'you will get justice'," star wrestler Punia told PTI, adding that the 'sit-in' was their another attempt to highlight the prevailing issues in Indian wrestling.

Vinesh also claimed that she had received death threats at the behest of WFI President from officials close to him because she dared to draw Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attention to several issues plaguing Indian wrestling when she met him after the Tokyo Games.

"I know at least 10-20 women wrestlers who have told me about the sexual exploitation they faced at the hands of (the) WFI President. I can't take their names but I can definitely reveal the names if we get to meet the PM and the Home Minister of the country," Vinesh said addressing the media after staging a four-hour 'dharna' at Jantar Mantar.