Amidst #MeToo Protest, Wrestler Vinesh Phogat Slams Anurag Thakur For Suppressing The Matter

Phogat revealed that the wrestlers met the officials before they started their protest in Jantar Mantar, for the first time. However, no action was taken

Written by Alina Khan May 3, 2023

Vinesh Phogat slams Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur

Amidst the ongoing #MeToo Protest, Olympian Vinesh Phogat has said that it is tough to stand against a powerful person who is misusing his power and position for a very long time. She also slammed the union sports minister for not taking any action against the WFI chief.

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been protesting at Jantar Mantar with other top grapplers against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing the women wrestlers and they are demanding his arrest.

Very difficult to stand against powerful people: Vinesh Phogat

While speaking to the media, India’s ace wrestler, Vinesh Phogat said, “It is very difficult to stand against a person who is misusing his power and position for so long.”

She also revealed that the wrestlers met the officials before they started their protest in Jantar Mantar, for the first time. However, no action was taken.

During her address to the media, Vinesh said, “Three-four months before we sat at Jantar Mantar, we had met an official, we had told him everything that how women athletes are sexually harassed and mentally tortured when no action was taken, then we sat on Dharna.”

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Wrestler slams Union Minister Anurag Thakur

Now, she has also taken a swipe at the Union Sports Minister, Anurag Thakur for not taking any action against the WFI chief and also suppressing the matter by forming a committee.

“We ended our protest after talking to Union Sports Minister (Anurag Thakur), and all the athletes had told him about the sexual harassment. By forming a committee, he tried to suppress the matter there; no action was taken that time,” she said.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia addressed the allegations that they are protesting against new rules introduced for the selection of the Olympics.

“He (Brij Bhusan) is saying that we have made some rules for the Olympics and therefore these athletes are protesting; firstly, this is not about the Olympics, this is against sexual harassment. And if I talk about the Olympics rule; the federation will take trails of athletes coming from the Olympics, whoever they want,” he said.