Vinesh Phogat places Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards at Kartavya Path amidst controversy surrounding WFI.

On Saturday, wrestler Vinesh Phogat took a stand by placing her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards at the center of Kartavya Path in New Delhi, as a demonstration against perceived injustices faced by top wrestlers in the country. The controversy arose with the election of Sanjay Singh as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India, which led to protests from prominent wrestlers who accused former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment towards female athletes.

The close association between Sanjay Singh and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh raised concerns among wrestlers, casting doubt on the likelihood of receiving justice. The Wrestling Federation of India faced suspension by the sports ministry for deviating from its constitutional provisions in decision-making. Consequently, the ministry urged the Indian Olympic Association to establish an ad-hoc panel to oversee the sports body's affairs.

Following Sanjay Singh's election, Sakshi Malik declared her retirement from wrestling, Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri, and now Vinesh Phogat has returned two awards. Despite attempting to reach the Prime Minister's office, Vinesh Phogat was halted by the police, prompting her to place the awards in the middle of the road as a symbolic gesture.

यह दिन किसी खिलाड़ी के जीवन में न आए। देश की महिला पहलवान सबसे बुरे दौर से गुज़र रही हैं। #vineshphogat pic.twitter.com/bT3pQngUuI

— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) December 30, 2023

डब्ल्यूएफआई से जुड़े विवाद के बीच विनेश फोगाट ने खेल रत्न और अर्जुन पुरस्कार कर्तव्य पथ पर रखे।