Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik urge PM Modi to oust people like Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
New Delhi, Mar 19: Urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "do something" to oust "oppressors" like Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh from Indian sports, the protesting duo of Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik on Tuesday denounced the IOA's decision to hand back wrestling's administrative control to the controversy-marred national federation.
In strongly-worded posts on X, the two wrestlers, who have accused Sharan Singh of sexually harassing women grapplers, called on the PM to intervene.
"The Prime Minister is a spin master, knows how to spin the issue by invoking 'women power' to counter the speeches of his rivals. Narendra Modi ji, let us also know the real truth of women power," posted Phogat, who is bound for the Olympic qualifiers next month in the 50kg category.
"Brij Bhushan, who exploited women wrestlers, has again taken over wrestling. It is hoped that you (PM) will not just use women as shields, but will also do something to oust such oppressors from the sports institutions of the country," the Asian Games gold medallist wrote.
Retired Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik too said that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) office-bearers were acting as if they were above the law.
"History is witness to the fact that powerful people in this country have played with the honour of women for centuries.
"...the rich miscreant is so powerful that he is above the government, the Constitution and the judiciary," she alleged.
"After the government suspended the wrestling association, Brij Bhushan and Sanjay Singh kept giving statements that this suspension is just a show, we will be reinstated after a few days and we will have control over the wrestling association forever.
"This proved to be true and this letter from the Indian Olympic Association officially confirmed this and proved that even in this new India, the age-old tradition of insulting women will continue."
Their outburst comes a day after the Indian Olympic Association dissolved the ad-hoc committee, which was running wrestling in the country, and handed over the reins to WFI, led by Brij Bhushan's close aide Sanjay Singh.
The IOA dissolved the panel, saying "there is no further need" for it to continue after revocation of the suspension on the WFI by United World Wrestling last month.
Phogat, Bajrang Punia and Malik have been protesting against Sanjay Singh, saying the culture of fear, which was there during Brij Bhushan's tenure, will continue under him too.
प्रधानमंत्री जी स्पिन मास्टर हैं, अपने प्रतिद्विंदियों के भाषणों का जवाब देने के लिए “महिला शक्ति” का नाम लेकर बात को घुमाना जानते हैं.
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) March 19, 2024
नरेंद्र मोदी जी, हम महिला शक्ति की असल सच्चाई भी जान लीजिए. महिला पहलवानों का शोषण करने वाला बृजभूषण फिर से कुश्ती पर काबिज हो गया है.… https://t.co/PrPuBwqP2X
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
