In a new protest over the federation (WFI) election, the world championship medalist stated this in a social media address to the prime minister.
Vinesh Phogat, a two-time Olympian and double World Championships bronze medalist, stated on Tuesday that she is returning her Khel Ratna and Arjuna awards. To make her decision public, the 29-year-old wrote a note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the social networking platform X.
Phogat’s announcement came just four days after bronze medalist Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri. Sakshi Malik, a Rio Games bronze medalist, announced her retirement on December 21, just hours after former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh-backed Sanjay Singh’s panel dominated the WFI votes.
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WFI was suspended by the sports ministry on Sunday, alleging “blatant disregard for legal and procedural norms” as well as several violations of the federation constitution and the National Sports Code. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was directed by the ministry to form an ad hoc committee to run the federation. The IOA, whose ad hoc panel had managed the body until the elections, has yet to select a new committee.
“I’m giving back my Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award.” “Many thanks to the powerful for putting me in this position,” Phogat added. The wrestler received the Arjuna Award in 2016 and the Khel Ratna—India’s highest sports award—in 2020.
“Sakshi Malik has retired from wrestling, and Bajrang Punia has handed back his Padma Shri.” The entire country understands why the Olympic medalists were forced to do this, and you would have heard about it as well. “I am your country’s daughter, Vinesh Phogat, and I am writing to tell you what I have been going through for the past year,” she said.
“I recall that when Sakshi Malik returned from winning an Olympic medal in 2016, the government appointed her as a brand ambassador for the beti bachao beti padhao (save the girl child, educate the girl child) program.” All of the female wrestlers were overjoyed. Now that Sakshi has been forced to retire from wrestling, my thoughts return to 2016. Do female athletes exist solely to appear in government advertisements? We don’t mind participating in those ads since they convey the appearance that your administration is serious about helping women. I had hoped to earn an Olympic medal for my country, but that ambition is growing increasingly distant. I wish the aspiring female wrestlers well in their endeavors.
“Our lives are nothing like those flashy commercials. Whatever the female wrestlers have been through in recent years should give you an indication of how suffocated we are. Your sophisticated advertising’s flex boards would have worn out by now. Sakshi has already resigned, and the perpetrator has not only boasted about his power but has also engaged in outright sloganeering. Please listen to his words for five minutes, and you will understand what he has done. He has admitted to making female wrestlers uncomfortable and has done everything he can to embarrass us. More crucially, he has compelled many complainants to back down. That is extremely frightening.
“I’ve tried to put this whole thing behind me, but it’s not easy. When we met, I informed you of everything. We’ve been on the streets for a year demanding justice, but no one has cared to listen. They said our medals were worth $15, but we value them more than our lives. We are being labeled traitors now that we have spoken up for justice. Are we traitors, Mr. Prime Minister?
“I’m not sure what prompted Bajrang to return his Padma Shri, but his image of doing so is eating me up.” I despise my awards as much as he does. My mother distributed sweets in the neighborhood and encouraged my relatives to watch the news on TV when I earned these honors. I fear thinking about what those relatives would say to my mother right now.
“I want to erase the image of Vinesh accepting those honors because that was a dream, and whatever is happening to us is reality.” No mother would want her daughter to go through something like this. Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards were bestowed upon me, but they no longer signify anything to me. Every woman desires to live with dignity. As a result, I am returning my Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards so that they do not weigh us down in our pursuit of a respectable life,” Phogat said.
Sanjay Singh, who returned to Varanasi on Tuesday, staged a massive road show. “It was a fitting display of strength.” A procession of hundreds of cars drove across the city, and people poured out their affection. “It took me six hours to cover 35 kilometers,” said Sanjay, who livestreamed the event on Facebook.
“I’m not bothered by Vinesh’s decision to return her medals. It is her personal choice. “I am hopeful that the sports ministry will reconsider its decision to suspend the WFI,” he continued.
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