Monday, April 29

“Could Be A Conspiracy To Trap Me In Doping”: Vinesh Phogat Accuses WFI Chief Of Trying To End Her Olympic Dream

Edited by Aishwarya Krishnan
“Could Be A Conspiracy To Trap Me In Doping”: Vinesh Phogat Accuses WFI Chief Of Trying To End Her Olympic Dream (image-X/Phogat_Vinesh)

On Friday, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and accused incumbent Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Sanjay Singh and Brij Bhushan of conspiring against her to prevent her from playing in the upcoming Olympic qualifiers.

The Commonwealth Games and Asian Games gold medalist stated that she had requested the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) for the accreditation of her coach and physician for the past month. However, she has not received any answer, stated Phogat. “No one is ready to help. Will the future of players always be played with like this?” she asked.

Accusing Brij Bhushan and his “dummy,” Sanjay Singh, of conspiring against her, the ace wrestler said that all appointed coaches are the “favourites of Brij Bhushan and his team.” The 29-year-old went ahead to say that “… it cannot be denied that they may mix something in my water and make me drink it during my match? If I say that there could be a conspiracy to trap me in doping, then it will not be wrong. No stone is being left unturned to mentally harass us.”

She questioned, “How far is it justified to torture us like this before such an important competition? Will we face politics even before we go to play for the country because we raised our voice against sexual harassment? Is this the punishment for raising a voice against wrong in our country?”
She ended her tweet with a note of hope of getting justice before the games began. “I hope we will get justice before we go to play for the country. Jai Hind,” she added.

In January 2023, the top wrestlers in India, including Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, accused the former WFI chief, Brij Bhushan, of sexual harassment, stalking, and intimidation against female wrestlers. Massive protests were held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. After the inaction of the central government against the BJP MP, the Supreme Court intervened, and FIRs were filed under the POCSO Act.

International bodies, including United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee, condemned the manhandling and arrest of the wrestlers. Phogat had accused Singh of mentally torturing her and sending death threats to her after she complained about him to Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and PM Modi.

Although Bhushan was suspended, his close friend Sanjay Singh was elected as the new WFI chief. On the same day, India’s Olympic medalist, Sakshi Malik, announced her retirement from wrestling in protest.

In the past, Phogat has won 53 kg bronze medals in the 2019 and 2022 World Championships and a gold medal in the Asian Games (50kg) in 2018. She is now aiming to earn an opportunity at the Olympics in the 50kg category in the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament scheduled to begin on April 19 in Kyrgyzstan’s Bishkek. Phogat lost in the semi-finals of the selection trials held in Patiala after competing in the 53kg category.