Brij Bhushan offered to buy me supplements if I gave in to sexual advances: wrestler

Taken together, these three complaints, that have now come to light, assume significance when the Government has asked the protesting wrestlers to “trust” the Delhi Police investigation. On Tuesday, the wrestlers had gone to Haridwar to drop their medals in the Ganga protesting inaction on their complaints but then decided to rethink.

In her complaint, Wrestler 3 has said that she was “traumatised” as she narrated the incident of Singh’s “forcible hug” — on the night of her gold medal victory — to a senior wrestler but nothing came of it. She also spoke to her mother about Singh’s advances. Wrestler 3 alleged that Singh kept calling her mother to reach her despite being aware of her steadfast “resistance.” She had to change her personal mobile number, she said.

In her complaint about the forced hug, Wrestler 3 mentions that she was resting in her room after winning the gold medal when a physiotherapist told her that the WFI president wanted her to meet him in his room. She presumed Singh wanted to congratulate her and so decided to go. After putting her on the line with her parents, Singh called her to his bed and suddenly hugged her without her consent. Wrestler 3 said she started crying.

Sangeeta Phogat and Vinesh Phogat being detained by police. (Express photo by Amit Mehra)

Subsequently, Singh is alleged to have started stalking the wrestler over the phone by reaching her through her mother’s phone. During one such call, Wrestler 3 alleged, he offered to buy her “supplements” if she gave in to his sexual advances.

Wrestler 3, according to her complaint, was deeply affected by these incidents of sexual harassment and stalking and it has taken her “years” to battle the trauma, which has had an adverse effect on her ability to focus on training and during competitions. She avoided going to places Singh was expected to be because whenever she saw him, she was reminded of what she went through, she is learnt to have said in her complaint.

In her complaint, Wrestler 3 also alleged that Singh “continues” to make sexual advances and sexually coloured remarks to other women wrestlers. Singh’s unchecked behaviour is what prompted her and other women wrestlers to file a complaint.

Singh has time and again denied the allegations calling it a political conspiracy. On Wednesday, PTI quoted Singh as saying: “Even if a single allegation is proved against me, I will hang myself.” Singh could not be contacted Thursday.

Wrestler 1 and Wrestler 2, in their complaints, accused Singh of using the pretext of checking their breathing patterns to touch them inappropriately on the breast and stomach. Wrestler 2 alleged that when she was warming up, Singh lifted her training jersey without her consent in 2018 and touched her breast and stomach saying he wanted to check her breathing pattern.

In January some of India’s top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phoghat, had protested at Jantar Mantar after accusing Singh. They returned to Jantar Mantar on April 23 demanding his arrest saying the police were not filing FIRs based on complaints. They also said they had lost faith in the Oversight Committee set up by the sports ministry in January to probe the allegations. The findings of the Oversight Committee headed by former World Champion boxer Mary Kom has not been made public.

Seven women wrestlers had filed complaints against Singh on April 21, including a minor. Two FIRs, including one under the POCSO Act were registered, after the wrestlers approached the Supreme Court.

On Tuesday, responding to a query from The Indian Express, the International Olympic Committee issued a statement – hours after the wrestlers threatened to drop their medals into the Ganga – that the “treatment” meted out to the wrestlers over the weekend, when they were manhandled and detained for hours by the Delhi Police on the day the new Parliament was inaugurated, was “very disturbing.”  The IOC asked for an “unbiased, criminal investigation” into the allegations and underlined: “We urge that the safety and wellbeing of these athletes is duly considered throughout this process and that this investigation will be speedily concluded.” It also asked the IOA, headed by P T Usha, which has been conspicuous by its silence so far, to “protect the athletes.”