Indian female wrestlers push for reforms

KHARKHODA, India — Indian women wrestlers and their families, demonstrating against alleged sexual harassment by a top sports administrator, are pressing for reforms, ranging from guardians accompanying contestants to demands for more female officials in senior ranks of the sport.

A trial court admitted last month a case of sexual harassment and intimidation against the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, or WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, an influential lawmaker of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party.

However, the delay in taking action drew global attention when top wrestlers threatened in May to throw their medals into the Ganges, the holiest river in Hinduism, in protest about five months after accusing Singh of groping young women during tournaments.

In domestic media interviews, Singh has denied the charges that he sexually harassed the six female wrestlers, who have represented India internationally, with an aide saying his innocence would be proved by the judiciary.

If convicted, he faces up to three years in jail.

"It is a matter of tremendous sadness, but the wrestlers have done the right thing by raising their voices," said Mona Dahiya, the mother of two teenagers Deepika and Ishanshu, who are training to be wrestlers in the northern Haryana state.

"We are worried if some of the top wrestlers could experience this, then it can happen with our girls too."

The Dahiyas, along with nine female wrestlers and their parents, are setting their eyes on WFI elections scheduled this month to achieve their demand for reforms of a system that provides guidance to more than 53,000 young female wrestlers.

Some parents said they want women appointed at all levels of training and running the wrestling federation, while others want the government to set up an official group of guardians to travel to events along with women contestants.

"I can assure you that every girl will feel protected and we are working toward addressing all the concerns raised by female wrestlers," Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said.

Yet in Haryana, home to more than 5,000 wrestling schools with a history of turning out top female athletes in India, women wrestlers expressed dismay.

"We couldn't believe how some of the top wrestlers were forced to leave their practice ground and take to the streets to seek justice," wrestler Anjani Kashyap said.

"It showed a scary side of the sports culture in the country."

Agencies via Xinhua