Top India wrestlers to boycott competitions over alleged abuse

NEW DELHI: Top Indian wrestlers, including Olympic medallists and Commonwealth Games champions, announced a boycott of international competitions on Thursday after one of them accused their federation chief and several coaches of sexually harassing athletes.

Dozens of wrestlers -- both male and female -- along with coaches and trainees mounted a second day of protests in New Delhi.

“All the women here at the protest, every one of them has been through something, some incident or the other has happened with every one of us,” said triple Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, one of India’s most decorated women wrestlers.

“None of the athletes from this protest will participate in any national or international competitions until this is sorted,” she added.

At a similar protest on Wednesday she accused Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh -- who is an MP for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party -- and several trainers of abuse.

“Women wrestlers have been sexually harassed at national camps by coaches and also the WFI president,” Phogat said.

“I know at least 10 to 20 girls in the national camp who have come and told me their stories,” she told reporters.

The allegations come months after the coach of the country’s national cycling team was sacked following sexual harassment charges.