WFI Election Row: Vinesh Phogat Renounces Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award In Letter To PM Modi

New Delhi: In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wrestler Vinesh Phogat expressed her dissent against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) by giving back her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award. She was unhappy with the re-election of Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, as the WFI president. Vinesh, a World Championship medallist, joined the protest that was started by Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Deafylmpics champion Virender Singh Yadav, who had earlier returned their Padma Shri awards.

She made her decision public by posting a letter on her X (formerly Twitter) account, saying, “I am returning my Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award.”

मैं अपना मेजर ध्यानचंद खेल रत्न और अर्जुन अवार्ड वापस कर रही हूँ।

इस हालत में पहुँचाने के लिए ताकतवर का बहुत बहुत धन्यवाद  pic.twitter.com/KlhJzDPu9D — Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) December 26, 2023

BJP MP Brij Bhusan and the former chief of WFI has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women wrestlers. Notably, Phogat, Malikkh and Punia have been at the forefront of the protests against Bhushan.

Phogat was awarded the Arjuna Award, the second-highest sports honours, in 2016 and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2020. 

The latest announcement is part of a string of symbolic protests against Bhushan and subsequently against the appointment of his ally Sanjay Singh. He, however, was removed from the post by the Sports Ministry. 

In her letter, Phogat wrote, “Prime Minister, I am Vinesh Phogat, a daughter of your house and I am writing this letter to you to tell you about the condition I have been in for the past year."

"I remember the year 2016, when Sakshi Malik won a medal in the Olympics, your government named her the brand ambassador of ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’. When this was announced, all the women players of the country were happy and were sending congratulatory messages to each other,” she added. 

She urged PM Modi to listen to Bhushan’s comment where he admitted on live television that he had made women wrestlers feel uncomfortable. 

Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan, after the suspension of his aide Sanjay Singh, said that he will refrain from speaking about wrestling. 

Talking to reporters, Bhushan said, “Whatever I had to say, I said yesterday. I have taken retirement from wrestling and the politics related to wrestling. As far as meeting Union HM Amit Shah is concerned, even if we meet, I will not discuss wrestling. Sanjay Singh should do his work, I am doing my work. The wrestling issue is between the government and the elected federation, I have nothing to do with this."