File Photo: Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and other Indian wrestlers take part in a protest demanding the disbandment of the WFI and the investigation of its head by the police, who they accuse of sexually harassing female players, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, India, January 19, 2023.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Jind/Sonipat: Several young female wrestlers in Haryana, especially those rethinking their career paths in the wake of accusations of sexual misconduct against the former WFI chief, are rooting for Vinesh Phogat to become the sports minister in the hope that it would facilitate their return to the akhadas.
The wrestling arenas or akhadas were once abuzz with activity with young girls and boys training with a common goal -- medals at big events followed by government jobs.
However, things changed after the January 2023 protests by top wrestlers, including Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, demanding the resignation of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly harassing junior women wrestlers.
The akhadas have since witnessed a spurt in dropouts among the young female grapplers.
"I did not come here for five months after the protests began as my parents didn't allow me to continue training," said a young woman wrestler training at the Yudhvir Akhada in Sonipat, the biggest arena in the district for girls.
"I have somehow convinced them to resume training but now my father accompanies me and waits till I am here," said the wrestler requesting anonymity.
"We hope that when Vinesh Phogat gets elected, she is made the sports minister because she understands the challenges that women wrestlers face," she told PTI.
At the Meher Singh Akhada in Rohtak, there has been a significant drop in the number of young grapplers coming for training.
Mohit Malik, the owner of the akhada, said Phogat's performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she missed out on a gold medal, will motivate parents sceptical about sending their daughters to akhadas.
"Vinesh's Olympic performance is expected to change things and give strength to those families who have been uncertain about sending their daughters to akhadas.
"There is unemployment in the state and one way to secure a government job is through sports, that is what the common people believe. The funding for akhadas also comes from local residents or individuals and there is very limited government support," he said.
While Phogat is not the candidate contesting from his constituency, Malik said she has his support, along with that of several wrestlers and coaches at akhadas across the state.
"We need someone from amongst us to be able to be our voice in the Vidhan Sabha," he said.
The Olympian wrestler, however, has asserted that she doesn't want Julana to be known only because of her.
"People are saying that Julana is now famous because I am contesting. I want Julana to be known for employment, for wrestling, and not for Vinesh," she said during a public meeting in Siwaha village in Jind.
Phogat, who was born in Charkhi Dadri, joined the Congress after returning from the Paris Olympics, after being disqualified from the women's 50kg freestyle wrestling final for being 100 grams overweight.
She defeated four-time wrestling world champion Yui Susaki of Japan, to enter the quarter-finals of the Olympics.
The Dada Shyam Akhada in Jhajjar is also betting on Phogat's win in the upcoming elections.
"She has already set a benchmark for women wrestlers. We are hopeful that when she is elected, she will set an example for other politicians by standing up for her own community and wrestlers," said Virender Bhuria from Dada Shyam Akhada.
Phogat has been canvassing extensively in her constituency and is visiting different akhadas to seek their support.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party's Kavita Dalal, who is the first woman wrestler to compete in the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), is taking on Phogat from Julana.
Dalal won a gold medal in the 2016 South Asian Games and represented India in weightlifting before transitioning to professional wrestling. She was with the WWE from 2017 to 2021.
The BJP has fielded Yogesh Bairagi, a former Indian Army Captain and a commercial pilot, from the seat.
Phogat is not the first woman wrestler from the state to join politics and contest elections. Her cousin Babita Phogat had unsuccessfully contested assembly polls in 2019 from Charkhi Dadri.
The Haryana assembly polls are slated to be held on October 5 and the votes will be counted on October 8.
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