Vinesh Phogat: ‘Pains me to see cricketers, fellow sportspersons silent’

Vinesh Phogat is one of the multiple wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar against the WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. PTI

Vinesh Phogat, one of the many wrestlers who are protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, said she was “pained” to see that many of her fellow sportspersons “don’t have the courage” to join in amid their ordeal. Phogat, along with Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, are at the forefront of the protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

“The entire country worships cricket but not even a single cricketer has spoken up. We aren’t saying that you speak in our favour, but at least put up a neutral message and say there should be justice for whichever party. This is what pains me… Be it cricketers, badminton players, athletics, boxing,” she was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

She then cited the example of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement in the US but saw athletes across the world unite to fight racism and discrimination. “It’s not like we don’t have big athletes in our country. There are cricketers… During the Black Lives Matter movement in the US, they showed their support. Don’t we deserve even that much,” she asked.

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Phogat said she and Punia had written open letters and posted videos seeking support from her contemporaries. “But we don’t know what they are afraid of. I understand that they may be concerned that this could affect their sponsorship and brand endorsement deals. Maybe that’s why they are afraid to associate themselves with athletes who are protesting. But it pains me,” she said.

“You do come forward to congratulate us when we win something. Even the cricketers tweet when that happens. Abhi kya ho gaya? (What has happened now?) Are you so afraid of the system? Or maybe there’s something fishy going on there too? (Unke daal mein bhi kaala hai, yeh maan ke chale hum?),” she said.

On Friday, the support arrived – and in droves. After 2008 Olympics gold medallist Abhinav Bindra, 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra asked for thorough investigation and speedy justice. Later, former cricketers Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Kapil Dev and Olympians Sania Mirza, Rani Rampal and Sardar Singh expressed their support.

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