Act against wrestling body chief

The government continues to drag its feet on taking action against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also a BJP MP and is facing serious charges of sexual exploitation and harassment from women wrestlers. Some of India’s best-known wrestlers, such as Commonwealth Games medallist Vinesh Phogat and Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, and nearly 200 other wrestlers have been demanding action against the federation chief and several coaches for sexual harassment of young women athletes at camps. They have sat on a dharna at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and there is public sympathy and support for the athletes who have given the impression that they have resorted to a public protest after it was clear that there was no other option for them to get justice. Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has spoken to them but has taken no action so far.

Brij Bhushan Singh should have been removed from his position immediately after the charges were levelled against him. Since the charges relate to sexual harassment, an FIR should have been filed. There is the need for investigation into the entire gamut of charges, including misgovernance. The athletes who raised the charges have high credibility. Phogat has said that about “10-20 girls” she knew have been “exploited in the national camp over the past 10 years” and they are too scared to fight back because they are “not powerful”. It is claimed that there is evidence of such harassment. Brij Bhushan Singh has ruled the wrestling federation for three consecutive terms. He is a six-term MP, five terms from the BJP and one from the SP, and was once a TADA detenue. He has denied all charges and has claimed that they were politically motivated and made at the behest of the Congress with the elections in Haryana in view. It is not a convincing explanation.

Charges of harassment and misgovernance in India’s sports establishment and its bodies are not new. Last June, a cycling coach, R K Sharma, was accused of sexual harassment by a female cyclist. Some athletes accused a Tamil Nadu Sports Academy coach of sexual misconduct over years. Last month, an athletics coach in Haryana accused the then state sports minister, Sandeep Singh, of sexual harassment. An FIR was lodged against him and he resigned the sports portfolio, but still continues to be a minister. How can the investigation be fair when he continues to be in power? The government has not gone even that far in the case of Brij Bhushan Singh. No sexual harassment charge should be taken lightly, and action should be taken, however high and mighty the accused persons are.