Aspiring young female wrestlers in Haryana are rooting for Olympian-turned politician Vinesh Phogat to win the assembly election and emerge as the sports minister to return to wrestling akhadas (arenas). Apprehensive parents stopped sending their daughters to these arenas after the sport was rocked by allegations of sexual harassment by former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik spearheaded protests in the national capital against the former WFI chief accusing him of sexual harassment of women athletes. As protests continued, the akhadas across Haryana witnessed a spurt of dropouts as parents pulled out their wards. Winning medals at big events, followed by a government jobs, is a dream of many aspiring athletes.
A young woman athlete told news agency PTI that she had to convince her father hard to resume her training. “I did not come here for five months after the protests began as my parents didn’t allow me to continue training. I have somehow convinced them to resume training but now my father accompanies me and waits till I am here,” she said requesting anonymity.
She expressed that if Vinesh Phogat, the Congress candidate from Julana seat, is made a sports minister in the state, she will be able to understand the issues facing young athletes like her.
Phogat’s performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she missed out on gold after getting disqualified for weighing a 100 gm more, has inspired many young athletes and their parents who were sceptical of a promising career in the sport.
Mohit Malik, the owner of Meher Singh Akhada in Rohtak said Phogat’s struggle will be a ray of hope for families and their daughters across the state. “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 told PTI.
Malik said Phogat has the support of several aspiring wrestlers and their coaches from Haryana. “We need someone from amongst us to be able to be our voice in the Vidhan Sabha,” he added.
Dada Shyam Akhada in Jhajjar is also hoping for 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 the akhada.
Phogat has been visiting various akhadas across Haryana for support during her election campaign. With voters cut across different constituencies expressing solidarity, Phogat said she does not want her constituency Julana to be known because of her candidature. “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.
(With inputs from PTI)
