According to reports on Monday (31), Anita Sheoran, the gold-medal-winning wrestler at the Commonwealth Games and a witness in a sexual harassment case against the current head of India’s wrestling federation, has submitted her candidature for the upcoming elections.
Sheoran, aged 38, is the sole female candidate in the running to replace Brij Bhushan Singh as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).
Singh, who is also a 66-year-old lawmaker from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has refuted all allegations of sexual harassment and stalking, claiming to be a victim of a “conspiracy”.
He has been accused by Olympic medallists and other Indian wrestlers of groping female athletes and demanding sexual favours.
Sheoran, faces tough competition in the August 12 elections. The votes will be cast by state wrestling federation chiefs, many of whom are reportedly supporting candidates loyal to Singh.
During a weeks-long demonstration in New Delhi, prominent wrestlers like world champion medallist Vinesh Phogat and Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik demanded Singh’s arrest.
Wrestling enjoys immense popularity in rural northern India, and the images of star athletes being detained while attempting to march to parliament in May went viral on social media.
They paused protests after the government said it would investigate the sexual harassment claims and announced new elections for the WFI, with Singh and members of his family prohibited from contesting.
Indian sports administration has long been male-dominated, but in December, former track and field star P.T. Usha was named the first woman president of the Indian Olympic Association, ushering in hopes of a more inclusive era.
(With inputs from AFP)
