‘Will hang myself if allegations of sexual harassment are proved’: WFI president refutes charges by wrestlers
The wrestlers alleged that WFI chief and other officials were abusing their position to harass & sexually assault women players.
New Delhi: Brij Bhushan Sharan, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president on Wednesday refuted charges of sexual harassment against him and asserted that if allegations by wrestlers are proved true, he will hang himself.
Earlier in the day, many award winning wrestlers and champions like Vinesh Poonia, Bajrang Poonia & other national level players staged an unprecedented demonstration at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and leveled serious charges against the atrocious conduct of the wrestling body.
The wrestlers alleged that WFI chief and other officials were abusing their position to harass & sexually assault women players.
The WFI president, also a BJP leader, brushed off all the allegations against him and the wrestling body. He said that he specifically came down to Delhi, after hearing the news of wrestlers protest against WFI, and said that if any charges are proved, he would hang himself.
“No incident of sexual harassment has happened. If it has happened, I will hang myself,” Brij Bhushan Sharan told newsmen.
The WFI chief also claimed that some powerful vested interests were behind this ‘staged demonstration’.
What Vinesh Phogat claimed
Vinesh Phogat claimed that the coaches were harassing women players and they had the blessings of WFI top command in maltreating the women wrestlers.
She also vented her disappointment and anger for being labeled a ‘traitor’ over her below-par performance in Tokyo Olympics 2020.
The WFI chief said that he was ready for any kind of investigation as he did no wrong. In the same breadth, he also hit back at Vinesh Phogat and questioned, “why did she wear a costume with a company’s logo on it in the Olympics?”
He also questioned the ‘sudden outburst’ of players and said that he didn’t receive any written complaint of this sort in last 10 years.
Another protesting wrestler Bajrang Punia sought the intervention of Prime Minister & Home Minister in the matter and demanded that the WFI administration be changed for the betterment of game & sport.