Brij Bhushan Singh, Vignesh Phogat
New Delhi: In a major revelation, decorated wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said that she is one of the six women wrestlers who filed sexual harassment complaints against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Charan Singh.The case against Brij Bhushan is still in court, with testimony continuing. Fenech said she had previously decided not to reveal her identity and wanted to allow the legal proceedings to continue.
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‘I too am a victim’: Vinesh Phogat identified as complainant in Brij Bhushan sexual harassment case
“The Supreme Court guidelines state that the identity of any victim should not be revealed, as it concerns their dignity and honour,” Fenech said in a video posted on social media on Sunday, May 3.“But today, due to certain circumstances, I want to tell you something.
I did not want to speak while the case is still pending… but I want to say that I myself am one of those six victims who filed a complaint, and our testimonies are still continuing.”
Vignesh was one of the main faces of the 2023 Jantar Mantar protests against Brij Bhushan.She said her decision to speak out now was linked to the WWF’s plan to hold tournaments and ranking trials in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, which she described as a place where Brij Bhushan has influence.
She said the trials were taking place at a private college he owned and raised concerns about fair competition.Vinesh also said that the Indian government will be responsible if anything happens to her or her team during the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda. She also spoke about concerns about management during her return to competition.In a video message before her return after nearly 18 months, she said the event was being held at a venue connected to Brij Buchan and that the outcome could be affected.Fenech reiterated that “if any untoward incident happens to me, my team or my supporters during the competition, the Indian government will be responsible,” while requesting the media and sports community to be present at the venue.She added: “The tournament is organized in a place where Brij’s influence is strong. Who will referee which match, how many points will be awarded, and who will sit as the match president, everything can be controlled by him and his team.”The 31-year-old said she had resumed training and wanted to return to competing and winning medals, but said she was not sure she would get a fair chance.“I don’t want any privilege or special treatment. I just want the results to reflect the hard work the athletes put in on the mat,” she said.She also spoke about the pressures of competing in what she described as a difficult environment, especially since she is one of the complainants in the case against Singh.Referring to the Supreme Court guidelines, she said she felt the need to speak out because of the situation.She said: “I am one of the six wrestlers who filed a complaint. The case is still in court and witnesses are being examined. Competing in a place associated with it, where most of the attendees may be associated with it, puts enormous psychological pressure on me.”“I doubt I would be able to give 100% in that environment.”She also said that the authorities did not act and that the government and the Sports Ministry were “observing the situation as spectators” and granted a “free pass” to Singh.Vignesh will compete in the 57kg category in Gonda. I had previously competed in 50kg and 53kg.She has not participated in any competitions since the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she was excluded from the final due to being overweight.Before that, there was a standoff between the wrestlers and the IBF over the accusations against Singh.The protests that began in 2023 included several prominent wrestlers, including Olympic medalists, who called for action against the then-president of the International Wrestling Federation.Several female wrestlers filed complaints, which led to the ongoing legal case.Singh denied all the accusations.