WFI Sexual Harassment | In Indian wrestling, finesse is always at a premium

Sexual harassment charges against the WFI boss exposes the dark underbelly of Indian sports, where also factional and political undercurrent play out

At a time when the world has converged in Odisha for the men’s Hockey World Cup and the superstar-filled India Open badminton in Delhi is in full swing, a rare protest by a few wrestlers, all Olympians, has not only exposed the dark underbelly of Indian sports, but has also put spotlight on the complex functioning of sports federations in India.

It is no secret that powerful politicians and their acquaintances have a vice-like grip on several top sports federations in India — cricket, hockey, football, badminton, and shooting, to name a few — and hence, allegations of sexual harassment on Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh does not come as a surprise. A counter argument put forward by a few is whether these allegations are motivated and part of a bigger plan to unsettle officials who have run a particular sport for a long time, sometimes over a decade at a stretch.

Sports administration in India is a complex business. Since there is a strong political link with almost everything, issues like sexual harassment generally remain under the carpet with athletes, mostly from humble backgrounds, either reluctant to reveal instances of exploitation or withdrawing charges fearing their careers would be in jeopardy.

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The Sports Authority of India (SAI) employs coaches across its centres in India. According to data available in 2020, there were 45 cases of sexual harassment in the last 10 years. There were 29 cases against coaches. In February 2019, a parliamentary committee was constituted to empower women and investigate how deep the menace runs in the system. But then committees can hardly deliver solutions for something as dynamic as sports and relationship between athletes and their coaches or officials. Given the fact that a sailor and a cyclist have recently come forward to slap sexual harassment charges against their coaches shows the menace is widespread.

The SAI has its rules to ensure a safe environment for women athletes. But having rules is one thing, executing them is another. For various reasons including lack of evidence, it is difficult to banish coaches or trainers against whom there have been even multiple charges. In many cases even though there is enough ‘evidence’ to nail an offender, justice evades the victim.

It is pertinent to mention here that former Indian hockey Captain Sandeep Singh is facing charges of sexual harassment by a women’s athletics coach. Sandeep Singh recently stepped down as sports minister in Manohar Lal Khattar’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana after police booked the former drag-flicker for stalking, illegal confinement, sexual harassment, and criminal intimidation. This has been a huge fall from grace for the 33-year-old Singh, who inspired Sony Pictures to produce the biopic Soorma in 2018 based on his life.

Track live updates from the Wrestlers Protest

It is no secret that heavyweight sports administrators abuse their position of power. This can involve anything between sexual misconduct to seeking monetary favours. Unfortunately, corruption is part of sports (as is in many other fields), but when it comes to coaches and officials abusing athletes, it becomes a deeper issue where justice must be served.

At times, in contact sports such as wrestling and boxing, allegations of ‘sexual’ misconduct also becomes a matter of interpretation. ‘Touch’ is a very sensitive thing, and the intention behind it is important. It is impossible to think that there will be no physical touch between an athlete and their trainer/coach. There is a very fine line here and when the relationship goes beyond a certain limit of intimacy, there is always a chance for allegations. For example, massage plays an important part in an athlete’s routine for fitness and recovery. A male masseur is not uncommon in a women’s team, and vice-versa.

Sadly, allegations of sexual harassment seldom see ‘official’ action being taken against the accused. It is impossible to imagine that Indian athletes who have levelled charges of sexual misconduct against coaches/officials will receive justice like their American counterparts in the infamous USA gymnastics sex abuse scandal that began in 2015. Larry Nassar, the team doctor of the United States women’s national gymnastics team, was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole on December 7, 2017, for exploiting, deceiving, and sexually assaulting young women who wanted to become top gymnasts.

What further complicates the Brij Bhushan Saran Singh case is that the allegations of sexual misconduct could lead to a turf war between the Uttar Pradesh and Haryana factions within the WFI. The WFI President, a long-serving BJP MP from Kaiserganj constituency in Uttar Pradesh, is an important member in Adityanath government’s scheme of things considering the general elections are due in 2024. The 66-year-old from Gonda is a popular man despite his aggressive and sometimes volatile mannerisms.

The challenge will be for the protesters to prove their allegations, and for the federation president to prove his innocence. In the factional and political undercurrent here, one must not lose sight of the most important factor: the safety and security of women athletes. A right step in this direction would be to run sporting federations in a professional manner, by experts, where accountability and transparency is paramount, both for officials and athletes.

Meanwhile, in the world of Indian pehelwani, finesse is always at a premium.

(Soumitra Bose is senior sports journalist, and research scholar. Twitter: @Soumitra65.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.