Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia has called upon the government to honour its commitment to initiate a transformative shift in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), demanding that the absence of any close associate of WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the upcoming elections is crucial to ensure a thorough overhaul and foster a safer environment for women wrestlers.“Those close to Brij Bhushan are in the fray for the [WFI] elections. Sanjay Kumar Singh is contesting for the post of WFI president. If Sanjay Kumar wins, it is equal to Brij Bhushan winning the elections. The government had promised us that those close to Brij Bhushan and his family members wont contest. But that doesnt seem to be the case now. The government must fulfil its promise, otherwise women wrestlers wont be safe. How long will women wrestlers live in fear” Punia told the news outlet The Indian Express.Brij Bhushan Singh, a BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, has been charged with sexual harassment, molestation, and stalking of women wrestlers in a chargesheet by the Delhi Police. Following a meeting with Sports Minister Anurag Thakur in June, Punia and other prominent wrestlers temporarily suspended their protest against Singh under certain conditions, one of which was that no family member or supporter of Singh would participate in the elections.Expressing his concerns, Tokyo Olympics bronze medal winner Punia highlighted that individuals connected to Singh were indeed in the race for the elections, jeopardising the promised reforms.Sanjay Kumar Singh presently serves as the vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association.Punia highlighted the need for change within WFI and the elimination of any association with Brij Bhushan Singh to empower victims of harassment to speak out without fear.“The moment it is clear that the WFI has nobody connected to Brij Bhushan, other victims of sexual harassment will also have the courage to talk about what they went through. Brij Bushan is so powerful and well connected. That is why we want change in the WFI,” Punia stated.Bajrang Punia, protesting wrestlers favour Anita Sheoran over Brij Bhushans peopleThe race for the WFI presidents post stands between two candidates – Anita Sheoran, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist in 2010, and Sanjay Kumar Singh. Anita Sheoran, who has the backing of Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat – prominent wrestlers who were part of the protest – stands as an advocate for the wrestlers interests and a safer environment for women athletes.Punia highlighted the significance of Sheorans candidacy, noting her deep understanding of the sport and the challenges wrestlers face to secure medals for the country.“Anita is a former wrestler. She understands the sport, knows the sacrifices wrestlers have to make to win a medal for the country and will be the voice of wrestlers. Most importantly, women wrestlers will feel safe. I am not saying make me the president of the WFI. But the government had promised us that our opinion would matter when it came to who occupies the key posts in the WFI. It was one of the conditions and a reason we called off our protest. But it does not look like the promise will be fulfilled,” Punia affirmed.Despite the governments assurance of incorporating players opinions in determining key positions within the new WFI executive committee, the situation has taken an unexpected turn. Candidates favoured by Brij Bhushan Singh for the 15 posts have gained substantial support from 20 out of 25 state units, raising concerns about the transparency and efficacy of the electoral process.VIDEO | “The police are investigating (the case involving WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) swiftly while remaining unbiased and the chargesheet will be filed soon,” says Union Minister Anurag Thakur on wrestlers protest. pic.twitter.com/O72g2vcx6s— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 13, 2023Bajrang Punia, who had cut short his training regimen in Kyrgyzstan upon learning about the contested elections, expressed his frustration with the potential resurgence of figures associated with Singh within the federation.“It has been mental torture for me and Vinesh [Phogat]. After calling off the protest, we wanted to give 100 percent to training. But how is that possible when we know that Brij Bhushans people could run the federation again. We have been talking to the government, the sports ministry and the Sport Authority of India to ensure that those close to Brij Bhushan are not part of the election process. After returning to India, a lot of my time has gone in meetings and phone calls. It is very difficult to focus on wrestling and training when the future of the sport in India is at stake,” he said.
