New Delhi: In an explosive disclosure, wrestler Vinesh Phogat has claimed that she was among those who were sexually harassed by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
She is also among the six who complained against Singh, leading to the registration of a case against him, Vinesh claimed.
The wrestler, who recently announced her return to the sport after staying away for nearly 18 months, has been at loggerheads with the WFI over her selection for the national trials. She had accused the WFI of blocking her return to wrestling by not allowing her to register for the trials.
The WFI reacted by saying that Vinesh’s registration for the event has been completed and she should concentrate on the sport, rather than make wild allegations.
The wrestler has now hit back by saying that she was a victim of sexual harrassment by Singh. The case against the former WFI president is now pending in court.
The wrestler said that she felt compelled to break her anonymity due to “certain circumstances” – namely, what she describes as a coordinated attempt by the current WFI to sabotage her comeback ahead of the 2026 Asian Games, as reported by India Today.
She had initially intended to let the legal process run its course without revealing her identity, Vinesh said.
“The Supreme Court guidelines say that the identity of any victim should not be revealed, because it concerns their dignity and honour,”
Vinesh said in a video shared on social media on Sunday.
“But today, due to certain circumstances, I want to tell you all 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 ongoing.”
“For a woman, competing in such a situation is very difficult, and every athlete who has gone through such a situation can relate to this,” Vinesh, one of the primary faces of the high-profile protests at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in 2023 against Singh said.
The decision by the WFI to hold the trials at Gonda in Uttar Pradesh seems to be the catalyst behind Vinesh’s latest tirade. She alleged that Gonda is Singh’s personal stronghold. The trials are also being organised at a private college owned by the former WFI chief, making a fair competition impossible, she claimed.
“He has his own private college, and this competition is being organised there. That every hardworking athlete will get their due there – this is something very unlikely and almost impossible,” Vinesh stated.
She further alleged that despite Singh’s official removal, the federation remains under his thumb through current chief Sanjay Singh.
“Who will referee whose match, how many points a referee will give… all of this will be controlled by Brij Bhushan and his people. And the government and our sports ministry are watching this as silent spectators,” she said.
“You can imagine – going to his place, to his own college, where every person would be connected to him… going there and competing in such a situation is extremely difficult. Even after that, whether I will be able to go there and give my 100 per cent – I do not think so,” Vinesh added.
Her qualification in the trials is crucial for selection to the Asian Games squad.