Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's son reacts to Vinesh Phogat's disqualification: 'Loss for...'

Last year, Vinesh Phogat led a protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, over alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers.

Published on: Aug 7, 2024, 15:15:57 IST

By HT News Desk, New Delhi

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Reacting to Vinesh Phogat's disqualification from the ongoing Paris Olympics, BJP MP Karan Bhushan Singh said on Wednesday that her disqualification was a ‘loss for the country.’

“It is a loss for the country. The (Wrestling) Federation will take this into consideration and see what can be done,” Singh, the Lok Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh's Kaiserganj seat, said.

Singh is the son of fellow BJP leader and ex-Kaiserganj MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Last year, the trio of Phogat, Sakshi Malik, and Bajrang Punia, led a wrestlers' protest in Delhi, over allegations by several female grapplers, including minors, who accused Brij Bhushan of sexual harassment, a charge he denies.

Brij Bhushan was replaced as WFI president by Sanjay Singh, his close ally. Sakshi Malik, the bronze medallist at the 2016 Rio Games, retired in protest.

Meanwhile, on the disqualification of Vinesh, who would have become India's first-ever female wrestler to clinch at least a silver at the Olympics, prime minister Narendra Modi called her a ‘champion among champions.’

“Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! You are India's pride and an inspiration for each and every Indian. Today's setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you,” PM Modi added.

However, pointing to the Brij Bhushan episode, a Congress MP claimed that a ‘conspiracy’ was hatched to get Phogat disqualified.

She was disqualified as she was overweight – beyond the permissible 50kg limit – ahead of the final.

India has filed a ‘strong protest’ against the ruling.

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