Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, a multiple World Championship medallist and Asian Games gold medallist, made a bold statement on Saturday as she returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award in protest. The symbolic act unfolded at Kartavya Path in the national capital, where she had intended to return the awards directly to the Prime Minister's office, as reported by PTI.
This move comes after Phogat, along with fellow Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, expressed dissatisfaction with the election of Sanjay Singh, a close aide to the former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The trio accused Singh of sexual harassment, leading to a notable protest. In a surprising turn of events, Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from wrestling following Singh's appointment as WFI Chief.
The Sports Ministry responded by suspending the newly-elected panel, citing a failure to adhere to their own constitution's provisions. The ministry instructed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to form an ad-hoc panel to oversee the WFI's operations temporarily. This decision was in line with the ongoing tensions within the wrestling community.
In her letter, shared on social media, Phogat emphasized the disparity between the government's empowering advertisements and the reality of the wrestlers' lives. She argued that prestigious awards like Khel Ratna and Arjuna have lost their meaning at a time when justice for athletes is elusive.
Despite facing opposition from the Delhi Police preventing her from reaching the Prime Minister's office, Phogat left her awards at Kartavya Path as a symbolic gesture of protest. The Delhi Police later retrieved the awards.
The IOA, following the directive from the sports ministry, constituted a three-member ad-hoc committee on Wednesday to manage the daily affairs of the WFI.
