In the world of Indian wrestling, things are not always as they seem. For years, wrestlers have been accused of sexual assault and other forms of abuse. Now, in what is being called a #MeToo era in Indian sports, allegations are being made against a number of high-profile wrestlers. This has led to a widespread discussion about how these abuses have been swept under the rug for so long and the need for change. For those who are not familiar with Indian wrestling, it is an Olympic sport that features high-flying acrobatics combined with brute strength. It’s no wonder that it has been linked to such abuse; however, it’s important to remember that this is just one sport among many in India. There are also fields like cricket and kabbadi where athletes are equally as talented and deserve to be treated with respect. If you’re looking for ways to support victims of sexual abuse in Indian sports, read on for more information. You can also start a petition or contact your local government to try and bring about change.
The protests began on January 18 when some of India’s most famous wrestlers, including Olympic and Commonwealth Games medal winners, gathered near the WFI office in the capital, Delhi, to criticize the organization’s operations.
The Indian Wrestling Federation has been in the headlines for all the wrong reasons recently. Since January 18th, when some of India’s most famous wrestlers, including Olympic and Commonwealth Games medal winners, gathered near the WFI office in the capital, Delhi, to criticize the organization’s operations. The protesters claimed that their salaries were not being paid on time, and that they were working without proper medical insurance.
Since then, the protests have spread across India – with wrestlers from as far afield as Kerala and Assam joining in. According to reports, at least 150 wrestlers have now taken to the streets demanding better treatment from the federation.
This is not the first time that Indian sports have been under fire. In 2016, several women accused former India cricket captaincy hopeful Dinesh Karthik of sexual harassment. Karthik was eventually banned from all forms of cricket after a panel found him guilty of three charges of misconduct involving a woman player. And earlier this year, Bollywood actor Tanushree Dutta detailed her experience with Nana Patekar during an award ceremony – an event which led to Patekar being accused of sexual assault by several other women.
It seems like Indian sport is facing a #MeToo era! But what does this mean for the federation itself? It’s hard to say – given that no one really knows how widespread the misconduct actually is. On one hand, it’s reassuring to see so many people speaking out against abuse
Phogat stated when contacted that she did not wish to “speak more about” the allegations of sexual misconduct.
On October 12th, 2018, a video of Phogat being confronted by a woman at an airport surfaced online. The woman in the video alleged that Phogat had sexually assaulted her in 2013 when she was working as a wrestler for the Indian Wrestling Federation (IWF). In an interview with the Hindustan Times, Phogat denied the allegations and stated that she did not wish to “speak more about” them.
Since this incident has come to light, other women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against several high-profile Indian athletes. Several members of India’s Olympic team have been accused of sexual assault or harassment, and several prominent figures in Indian sport have been accused of sexual misconduct. This #MeToo era in Indian sports is causing a public embarrassment for India, and it will likely take a long time for the country to recover from these scandals.
Concerns about widespread allegations of sexual abuse in the sports industry have also been raised by the recent protests.
Since the beginning of this year, there have been a number of allegations of sexual abuse in the sports industry. The most recent example is the protests by female wrestlers from India’s Wrestling Federation (IWF) against their organization’s culture of sexual harassment and violence.
The IWF is one of India’s oldest Olympic-level sport organizations. It was founded in 1946 and has been a member of the International Federation of Sport Federations since 1954. The current president of the IWF is Narayan Rao, who has been accused of repeatedly molesting female wrestlers and staff members spanning over two decades.
According to reports, Narayan Rao would invite young female wrestlers to his home for dinner or drinks, then force them to sleep with him or perform other sexual acts. This behavior allegedly continued even after several wrestlers filed complaints against him with the IWF administration. In January 2019, following months of protests by these women, Rao was removed from his post as president of the IWF.
This wave of allegations has raised concerns about how widespread these problems are in Indian sports. Many athletes and coaches say that they have experienced similar abuses at the hands of powerful people in their fields for years without anyone coming forward to address it. This lack of accountability creates a climate where abusers can get away with their crimes unchecked.
