WFI President VS Wrestlers: Vinesh Bolin- I have been facing harassment since 2013, now proofs are being sought if I gather courage; Sakshi said: We are not lying

Wrestlers who have accused the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment have once again come to the fore. This time he said everything in a very open manner on a public platform. In a program, Vinesh Phogat said that one has to move here and there keeping life in hand all the time.

He has taken a direct fight with a powerful person. Threats have been received earlier also. I have been facing harassment since 2013. It is not considered appropriate for girls to speak in a male dominated country, I have made allegations. At the same time, the witness said that we are being asked for proofs, while we are not lying.

Question: Since when have you been seeing things like physical abuse?
Vinesh Phogat said that since 2013 I am in the senior camp in Nationals. When we are juniors, then playing makes sense. Some just get food and sleep. But, when we come in senior our responsibility increases further. People start watching you out in every competition.

Only then we understand many things that who is looking at us from which point of view. Because when we are junior, our family supports us. But when we become senior, our own responsibility increases. The era of seeing and understanding the world through one’s own experiences begins. During that time I started seeing and feeling all this.

Not outside, I raise my voice against wrong even at home
I always feel one thing that when a female player says wrong to wrong, then it is seen from the point of view of how she is speaking. Don’t we have feelings? Don’t we feel pain? It is not at all that I say wrong to wrong in the outside world only. If someone does wrong in my house too, I raise my voice on that too. I got to learn all this from my family only.

My mother has always called wrong wrong. No matter how many difficulties come. The mother has always raised her voice against the wrong even in very challenging times, never mind that she has three children. What will happen to the children if something happens to them? Because mother thinks that if we do not speak for ourselves, no one else will speak either. It was from here that I learned that today I am at such a stage that the whole country can listen to me.

I have no choice but to wrestle No
It took many years for that thing to come out, to speak. I have come out even today, putting my career at stake. I have brought my life in my palm. Because the person we are dealing with is very politically strong. He has enough money. They are sitting in power. Olympics are coming. Because I have done wrestling well since childhood. Neither have I studied well. Neither have I worked in any other source that I always have another option. I have only one option and that is wrestling.

We knew that if not now, we would never be able to speak
This wrestling has given us so much. The junior players look at us with hope. We become their hope at that time. In such a situation, it had become our responsibility that why should not we speak on this also. Every athlete quits his game after a point. After that no one will listen to your voice. We knew that if we do not speak now, we will never be able to speak. Now we also realize why we didn’t speak earlier. What was the need to bear all this? But our country is a male dominated society. Women’s voices are not liked.

Somebody asked the Speaker for proof of his innocence
Still we are being asked what proofs do you have. While a woman is speaking with eye to eye, isn’t that a proof. If we are going to a market or a public place, if someone molests us there, does our camera remain on at that time. Shall we tell him that please molest once, I will record you and make a proof. If this happens to a man also, then the proof will not be available with him either. The evidence should be taken from the person on whom we have accused. That you have done absolutely nothing, you give proof.

Threats received after Tokyo Olympics
The fear is that someone will snatch our wrestling from us. I was mentally tortured a lot after the Olympics. Very badly treated after Tokyo. Whereas at that time no one else would be suffering more than me. Should have done sport at that time.

No matter how many mistakes we have made. Our medal came, did not come. In such a situation, if any one says that no matter what, he will do it next time. This one word would have been enough to lift the fallen. After Tokyo, my husband used to get calls asking how can you speak like this. You don’t say anything in the media. Otherwise you will be killed. You live so far away from your family in the camp, anything can happen to you.

When she raised her voice alone, show-cause notices were removed
If today even after coming to this stage, me and my family are so scared, then how can normal girls speak. She will be silent. We were also silent for so many years. Courage has come in us when a group of ours has been formed. Single, I called wrong many times wrong. But at that time show-cause notices were removed when I spoke. It was written that you do not follow your discipline.

While no athlete can reach this point without discipline. I want that when I leave wrestling, I leave it of my own free will. Not by someone’s bullying, by someone’s pressure. I have a lot of attachment to the Olympics. If I am not allowed to play in the Olympics, it will be like for me that it is better to die than this. If someone tampers with it, I will not spare him.

Sakshi said that she raised her voice to save wrestling and wrestlers
They are asking for proof. Many girls have told us, many have also come forward. I’ve been wrestling for 18 years. I often travel in the bus, come out and see how women are being treated. Big Olympians of the country were sitting at Jantar Mantar.

Will we come to such a big stage, put our career at stake, take our life in our palm and lie there? Now we are being asked for proofs. It breaks my heart that after gathering courage for so many years, we have raised this voice and proofs are being asked from us. Definitely get rid of wrestling from me today. But we have raised our voice so that the upcoming wrestlers do not have to face all this.