Report | Sexual harassment charges against Brij Bhushan Singh not proven
As per a report in PTI, no tangible proof of sexual harassment has been uncovered against WFI head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of exploitation by the country's best wrestlers. The likes of Vinesh, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik held a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in January.
Wrestlers asked that the WFI be dismantled and its president be fired. On January 23, the Sports Ministry organised a five-member monitoring committee, led by famed boxer MC Mary Kom, and instructed it to present its findings within one month.
On the protesting wrestlers' request, it later extended the deadline by two weeks and appointed Babita Phogat as the panel's sixth member. The committee turned in its report in the first week of April, but the government has yet to release its conclusions. Repeated sources verified, however, that the wrestlers were unable to substantiate the sexual harassment charges against the WFI chief after repeated hearings.
"The wrestlers could not prove their sexual harassment allegations. During the probe, it was alleged that one female physio (name withheld) was asked by Brij Bhushan to give him massage to treat his back pain last year in Bulgaria during a competition. However, during the hearing, the same physio denied any such happening," a source told PTI on Thursday.
"Instead, she revealed that all Brij Bhushan wanted was a pain killer for headache and when she offered one, and was accompanied by a female coach at that time, the WFI boss even refused to take tablet 'disprin'. "It was male coach Anil who had actually helped Brij Bhushan."
When asked, WFI authorities, however, made no formal remark. It has also been revealed that Vinesh and Sakshi filed written affidavits to the IOA investigative panel, which is looking into the charges independently, but provided incorrect information.
"In her affidavit, Vinesh claimed that Brij Bhushan touched her inappropriately in Turkey in 2015. However, later it was found that Vinesh had not competed in Turkey that year. Later she said it actually happened in 2016 and in Mongolia.
"Sakshi in her affidavit wrote that Brij Bhushan hugged her in 2015. Brij Bhushan sensed her discomfort and said that he hugged her like a father."
Another report claims that a few former female wrestlers said Brij Bhushan requested their phone numbers, but when questioned if he actually phoned them, they responded no.
"They said Brij Bhushah clicked pictures with them with his hands on their shoulders but could not produce those pictures when demanded by the panel," said the source.
Several coaches, in addition to Brij Bhushan, were the target of accusations. Greco-Roman coach Mahabir Prasad was one such trainer.
The tribunal questioned the Droncharya awardee over his visit to Vinesh's house following her Olympic meltdown. He responded saying he believed the top wrestler was going through a difficult time and he wanted to provide some encouraging words.
Vinesh unexpectedly withdrew from the Olympics in the first round, and the WFI later punished him for misconduct. She had admitted that she had depression and was having a terrible time with the circumstances.
"Mahabir replied that he was not alone when he paid a visit to Vinesh. He was accompanied with a coach and a journalist, so there was no question of having any ill will in him meeting Vinesh," said a source.
Additionally, it has come to light that two SAI officials visited the Sonepat facility, where the male wrestlers' training camp is housed, in order to "extract" negative feedback about Brij Bhushan from the coaches.
"When an oversight committee was probing the matter, what were the SAI officials doing there at Sonepat SAI centre? Even a relative of one of the members of the committee was also there. How did SAI centre allow that relative inside the SAI complex? He was not part of the camp," said the source.
(With PTI inputs)
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