INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
NEW DELHI: "Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is a dictator
He should be out", India's star wrestler Amit Dahiya, who is one of the wrestlers protesting against the WFI President at Jantar Mantar
currently, told TimesofIndia.com in an interview
Several ace wrestlers of the country including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Dahiya have levelled extremely serious
charges of sexual harassment of women wrestlers by the WFI president and coaches.Dahiya, who won a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
and a silver medal at the 2013 World Championships, requested the government to show the WFI president the exit door and rebuild the
federation with new faces.WFI Controversy: Wrestling Federation to respond to Sports ministry by 3 PM today"The federation should be
revamped and it should have Olympic medallists, CWG, and Asian Games medallists
A politician like him (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh) should not run the federation
The federation should have Arjuna awardees, Khel Ratnas, and wrestlers who have won medals for the country," Dahiya told
TimesofIndia.com.TOI Photo"He has been dominating the federation and all the wrestlers
When Sushil Kumar was here, Bhushan was under control
Sushil is in jail right now and he is not part of any wrestling activities, Bhushan is now doing what he wants
He is just like a dictator," Dahiya added."I am sure these things (alleged cases of sexual assault) with young women wrestlers were going on
I got to know about these recently
But no one dared to speak up
This man threatened everyone
That's why no one spoke up," he said.Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh refutes allegations of 'leaving door open at hotels'Female wrestler Geetika
Jakhar, who has won three Asian Wrestling Championships medals, two Asian Games medals, and one Commonwealth Games medal for the country,
was shell-shocked after coming to know of these allegations."I am really shocked
After we win the medals, we get the opportunity to meet our honourable PM Modi Ji and sports minister as well
Why didn't we discuss and disclose this to the head of our country? Our women wrestlers should have told this to our PM and sports minister
Things wouldn't have stretched on for this long
We kept quiet and we gave these people a long rope to stay there and continue these wrong activities," Geetika told TimesofIndia.com."When I
was there, nothing of this sort came up
There were many young female wrestlers but no such news came out," she added.'SHOCKED TO LEARN SAKSHI WASN'T AWARE TOO'Rio Olympics bronze
medallist Sakshi Malik is part of a five-member sexual harassment committee of the WFI
When Sakshi was questioned, she said she wasn't aware of the harassment cases
Sakshi is currently part of the wrestlers' protest against the WFI and its chief."It is a serious matter
Young girls should have approached Sakshi
If she wasn't aware, this is something serious
We need to interview every single female athlete in person and speak with them
They have named the WFI president and they should come ahead and take the names of the coaches too," Jakhar said.Reuters Photo"Keeping our
We are giving more power and wings to these people
I am sure Modi ji and the sports minister will take strict action against these guys," Jakhar added.Dahiya also said he was stunned to learn
about Sakshi not being aware."Young wrestlers should have approached her (Sakshi) and expressed themselves to her
She is a woman and has won medals for our country, especially an Olympic medal
She would have definitely listened to them and helped them," Dahiya told TimesofIndia.com.
