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(NYON) – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has failed to investigate or provide remedies to Indian wrestlers who have been protesting sexual harassment and violence for more than a year. Sports and Rights Alliance exist Report Released today.
That report, ‘‘We just want justice’: Indian wrestling federation sex abuse case‘It details the sexual harassment and violence suffered by athletes during the 12-year tenure of Brij Bhushan Singh, then president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), who was also a member of parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Guided by Athletes who have experienced abuse In sports, Athlete Safe Sport Networkthe Sports and Rights Alliance New Report It details a pattern of harassment and violence, including unwanted touching, solicitation for sexual acts and sexual assault, among other abuses, against female and girl athletes at national and international youth and women’s competitions.
In an interview with the Alliance for Sport and Rights, the two-time Olympian and 2024 Paris Olympic contender Vinesh Phogat “Who’s going to listen? If these great athletes don’t get justice, or they work so hard to be heard, imagine: How can ordinary people feel safe?”
In an interview ReportAthletes who suffered abuse at the hands of Singh told the Sport and Rights Alliance that they had no safe way to report the abuse or seek help at the time. When the abuser is a powerful sports official with close ties to a country’s government, an athlete’s decision to speak out can result in retaliation or even the end of a career. The IOC does have a hotline The organization was founded in 2015 to report athlete abuse and other issues, but it has been poorly publicized, ignored trauma-informed best practices, and is only available in English.
“For athletes who are being abused, the hotline is a lifeline,” Joana MaranhaoNetwork Coordinator of the Sport and Rights Alliance. “However, the current IOC hotline is not fit for purpose. It lacks the most important element of a trauma-informed approach: someone actively listening. Choosing to ask for help is already difficult. The path to justice and healing must be clear and effective.”
In January 2023, Fugate and other Olympians Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia Public protests against Singh’s abuses and the federation’s inaction began. More than 30 Indian wrestlers (both men and women) and hundreds of supporters took part in protests, including a sit-in near the Parliament building in the Indian capital, New Delhi.
“I was probably 17-18,” said Malik, India’s first Olympic medalist in women’s wrestling. “I was young and didn’t have the courage to speak loudly. If I spoke loudly in the junior and juvenile championships, the competition would be over… so we kept silent.”
The Sport and Rights Alliance said the IOC should overhaul the existing abuse hotline for Olympic athletes and establish an effective resource for abuse survivors to safely report physical, sexual or emotional abuse; when national institutions are unwilling or unable to respond effectively, especially when there are conflicts of interest. The hotline needs to be legal, rights-respecting, trauma-informed and aligned with best reporting practices.
“Athletes deserve a hotline that puts their well-being first,” Dr. Payoshni Mitra, executive Director Sports Human and the report’s lead researcher. “The current IOC reporting channels fail to accommodate best practices for grievance mechanisms – sometimes even sending athletes back to their national associations, which can lead to further abuse and retaliation.”
In April 2024, Singh was ordered to face Criminal TrialHowever, the Sport and Rights Alliance said that even if he is convicted, India’s top wrestlers will remain away from justice, safe working conditions and compensation. During months of protests, the wrestlers have demanded protection and accountability for Singh, but have been harassed, threatened, arrested and detained in retaliation for their demands.
“India’s best wrestlers are putting their careers on the line to end impunity and abuse in the sport of wrestling,” Minky Warden“Indian authorities should take these reports seriously and implement urgent safeguard reforms if they want to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
one investigation India’s Ministry of Sports, Youth Affairs and Sports ordered an investigation into Singh’s alleged abuse in January 2023, but the results have not yet been made public or provided to wrestlers. After months of protests by athletes demanding Singh’s resignation, the WFI called for a presidential election. On December 21, 2023, Sanjay Singh, a loyal supporter and aide of Brij Bhushan Singh, was elected as the new WFI president. Sanjay Singh actually Brij Bhushan Singh celebrates his election at his home The poster reads, “We dominate and our domination will continue.” The Sport and Rights Alliance contacted the International Olympic Committee, the World Wrestling Federation and the World Wrestling Federation on July 16, but they have not yet responded to requests for comment. Brij Bhushan Singh did not immediately respond to a July 22 request for comment.
“To have someone so closely associated with an alleged abuser succeed him is a clear sign that systemic reform has not yet taken place,” he said. Andrea Florencedirector of the Sport and Rights Alliance. “There must be a broad, transparent investigation into Singer’s abuse and the culture, systems and processes that allowed it to continue for more than a decade.”
In addition to changing the hotline, the IOC should ensure that reports of harassment, abuse, threats and retaliation related to the World Wrestling Federation are fully, independently and trauma-informed. The IOC should also work with the World Wrestling Federation to conduct a full investigation into the Indian Wrestling Federation’s compliance with safeguarding and good governance standards and make the findings public. The full list of recommendations to the IOC, the Indian government and other sports bodies is included in The report.
See quotes from some of the wrestlers’ testimony in the report below.
Report Quote
“Indian society accepts abuse and harassment as normal. Only when the attack is very brutal do they take it seriously. But it’s like when we participate in a wrestling match. Whether we lose by one point or ten points, we lose. Whether the attack is big or small, it is an attack. An act done against our will.”
– Vinesh Phogat, two-time Olympian and 2024 Paris Olympic competitor
“When I was harassed by him early in my career, I told one of my seniors and my parents. My parents thought that speaking out would end my career and advised me not to complain. I wish I knew there was an independent body I could complain to when this happened. It is so important to make sure athletes feel safe and report harassment.”
– Sakshi Malik, 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medalist
“I thought he was trying to congratulate me… I was so traumatized and distressed by (Singh’s) constant misconduct that it was difficult for me to concentrate and perform at my best in various competitions.”
– 20-year-old victim
“His only intention was to indecently touch me… He (Singh) touched my leg with his leg while we were sitting and continued to talk and even touched my knee… He used the excuse of checking my breathing (to touch me)… He told me that I could continue my sports career only if I went to meet the accused (Singh) in person.”
– 21-year-old victim
“We never left the room alone… “I refused (to see him alone) because the accused (Singh) had also touched other girls inappropriately.” When Singh approached the 19-year-old again, “he pulled up my T-shirt, slid his hand over my stomach and placed his hand on my belly button on the pretext of checking my breathing… “I was called to the federation’s office… There I met (Singh) and he told me that the federation would bear the cost of my treatment if I succumbed to his sexual advances.”
– 19-year-old victim
“I froze with fear… (Singh) came up to me and suddenly, to my shock and surprise, he leaned over me… pulled up my T-shirt and (groped) on the pretext of… checking my breathing.”
– 20-year-old victim
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The Sport and Rights Alliance’s mission is to promote the rights and well-being of those most affected by human rights risks associated with sporting events. Its partners include Amnesty International, Survivor Corps, Committee to Protect Journalists, European football supporters, Human Rights Watch, ILGA World (International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association)this International Trade Union Confederation, Transparency International Germanyand World Players Association, UNI Global LeagueAs a global alliance of leading NGOs and trade unions, the Sport and Rights Alliance works together to ensure that sport bodies, governments and other relevant stakeholders build a sporting world that protects, respects and enforces international standards on human rights, labour rights, child well-being and protection, and anti-corruption.
As a project of the Sports and Rights Alliance, Athlete Safe Sport Network Bringing together athletes, allies, survivors, victims, and whistleblowers to work together to create and strengthen safe spaces for those impacted by sports abuse – promoting healing, amplifying each other’s voices, and advocating for systemic change. The Network is guided by an Advisory Board of athletes and allies impacted by sports abuse who are charged with providing overall programmatic guidance and strategic support to the Network.
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