Vinesh Phogat accuses member of oversight committee of leaking information

Ace Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has accused a "sportsperson member" of the Sports Ministry appointed oversight committee of leaking sensitive information regarding the complaints made by the wrestlers against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its chief Brij Bushan Sharan Singh to the media.

“Being a sportsperson it is extremely disheartening to see a fellow sportsperson of the Oversight Committee has behaved so recklessly. Their attitude towards women is evident from such behaviour,” Vinesh said in a statement posted on Twitter.

“The lack of empathy and insensitivity displayed by this sportsperson was shocking during the proceedings of the committee,” she further added.

Phogat, through her statement, asked the immediate removal of the unnamed member from the committee.

All the top women wrestlers in the country including the likes of Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik, Sarita Mor, Sangeeta Phogat echoed the same sentiment.

The Sports Ministry had appointed a five-member oversight committee led by Mary Kom and Yogeshwar Dutt to investigate the accusations made by the wrestlers against the WFI and look after the daily affairs of the federation following a 3-day protest at the Jantar Mantar last month by the wrestlers.

Babita Phogat was later added to this committee. The other two members in the committee include Radhika Sreeman and Rajesh Rajagopalan.

The oversight committee was expected to submit its finding to the Sports Ministry earlier this month but were handed a two-week extension. The six-member committee is now expected to hand in their report by 9th March 2023.