Wrestling
Vinesh Phogat accuses WFI of creating hurdles in her Olympic dreams
Fearing doping controversy by WFI backed staff, Vinesh Phogat has asked for accreditation for her coach at the Asian Olympic qualifiers.
Vinesh Phogat is an Asian Games gold medal-winning wrestler.
Ace Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat accused the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its president Sanjay Singh of trying to stop her from competing in the upcoming Asian Olympic qualifiers on Friday.
She claimed that logistical hurdles for her support staff are being created and she fears doping controversy.
Two-time World Championships medalist Vinesh will be eyeing an Olympic quota in the 50kg category in the Asian qualifying tournament next week in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
"Brij Bhushan and his dummy Sanjay Singh are trying in every way to stop me from playing in the Olympics. All the coaches who have been appointed with the team are the favourites of Brij Bhushan and his team, so it cannot be denied that they may mix something in my water and make me drink it during my match?" Phogat said in a lengthy post on her 'X' page.
"If I say that there could be a conspiracy to trap me in doping, then it will not be wrong," Phogat alleged that her coach and physio were being denied accreditation for the Asian Olympic qualifying tournament starting April 19.
"For the past month, I have been requesting the Government of India (SAI, TOPS) for the accreditation of my coach and physio. Without accreditation, my coach and physio can't accompany me to the competition arena," she said.
"But despite repeated requests, I am not getting any concrete answer from anywhere. No one is ready to help. Will the future of players always be played with like this? "No stone is being left unturned to mentally harass us. How far is it justified to torture us like this before such an important competition?" she asked.
Phogat was one of the three top wrestlers of the country who led a protracted protest against former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexually harassing women wrestlers.
After a case was filed against Brij Bhushan by Delhi Police, a local court granted him bail in July.
She wondered if the difficulties she is facing now are due to the protest she led alongside Olympic bronze medal winners Bjarnag Punia and Sakshi Malik.
"Will we face politics even before we go to play for the country because we raised our voice against sexual harassment? Is this the punishment for raising a voice against wrong in our country? "I hope we will get justice before we go to play for the country."
