God has punished you: Brij Bhushan Singh accuses Vinesh Phogat of cheating at Paris Olympics

New Delhi: Former BJP Member of Parliament Brij Bhushan Singh has recently made headlines with his accusations against renowned Olympic wrestler Vinesh Phogat. Singh, who has faced sexual harassment allegations from wrestlers, has claimed that Phogat's Olympic appearance was marred by dishonesty.

In a heated statement, Singh questioned the integrity of Phogat's participation in the Olympics. "I want to ask Vinesh Phogat whether a player can compete in two different weight categories on the same day? Can trials be delayed by five hours after the weigh-in?" Singh said. He went on to assert, "You did not win through fair means; you reached the Olympics by cheating. God has punished you for it."

Singh criticizes Phogat's olympic selection

Singh's comments followed Congress's announcement that Phogat would be their candidate for the Haryana Assembly elections in Julana. Singh alleged that Phogat did not deserve her Olympic spot, claiming she took the place of a competitor who had defeated her in trials. "She went to the Olympics by taking the spot of the girl who had beaten her in the trials and by causing a scene. Therefore, whatever happened to her was justified, and she deserved it," Singh stated.

Take a look at the video:

#WATCH | "Haryana is the crown of India in the field of sports. And they stopped the wrestling activities for almost 2.5 years. Is it not true that Bajrang went to the Asian Games without trials? I want to ask those who are experts in wrestling. I want to ask Vinesh Phogat… pic.twitter.com/NQvMVS6dPF

— ANI (@ANI) September 7, 2024

Allegations against Punia

Singh also criticized fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia, alleging that he participated in the Asian Games without completing the necessary trials. "Haryana is known for its sporting excellence, yet wrestling activities were halted for nearly 2.5 years. Did Bajrang go to the Asian Games without trials? I urge wrestling experts to clarify this," Singh remarked.

Wrestling duo enters politics

Phogat and Punia, prominent figures in last year's wrestlers' protest against Singh, made their political debut with the Congress party on Friday. Phogat was announced as a candidate, while Punia was appointed as the working chairman of the All India Kisan Congress. Singh accused Phogat of being the "face of the Congress conspiracy" and claimed she was part of a scheme orchestrated by Congress leader Deepender Hooda and his family.