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akilsposts · 14 days

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Greater than a Medal...

The story of Vinesh Phogat is one of enduring resilience and an athlete's determination to overcome all the odds stacked against her. From being one of the faces of the brave protest against the sexual harassment faced by women wrestlers (including minors) at the hands of the then head of the Wrestling Federation of India and BJP MP, Brij Bhushan Charan Singh, to becoming an unceasing source of inspiration for innumerable people in this country, Vinesh Phogat has become a shining light in not just the sporting history of India but also among those fighting for a safe and better society.

The story is not unfamiliar to the world because the latest chapter of it unfolded at the Olympic Games which was recently held in Paris. The official version is very simple: Having fought through a draw that needed her to beat the defending Olympic Champion, the reigning European Champion, the reigning Pan American champion in each of her rounds, Vinesh had entered the final and was scheduled to face Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA before she was disqualified on the morning of the bout for being 100g above the permissible weight of 50 kg. Vinesh Phogat's disqualification meant that she would end up receiving no medals. However, it is the role of different sporting and political authorities of our country, and all the events that took place leading to the Olympic final that needs our examination as a concerned society.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), as is the case with any other sports-body in India, has long been a rubber-stamp that is invariably controlled by the ruling dispensations. The role of this body in this whole affair is suspect. That the alacrity with which it announced the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the competition was not shown in making an appeal against the decision has not gone unnoticed. Its President, P.T. Usha, has been quick to absolve her organisation from all responsibility in the matter and has covertly and overtly placed the blame on the shoulders of the athlete. The Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, addressing the issue in the Parliament, stooped so low as to declaim about the money the government had spent on Vinesh Phogat's training. At this point, it should not be forgotten that it was this same ministry that had delayed in providing accreditation for Phogat's support staff including her coaches and physiotherapists. The snide and even belittling remarks following the disqualification and the barely concealed glee of many elected representatives of the ruling party point to the deep resentment that they had harboured towards Vinesh. However, the most noticeable was the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi following each of Phogat's victorious bouts leading to the final. It was very uncharacteristic because he has always been quick to bask in the reflected glory of the achievements of our sportspersons. It is unsurprising that his social media post after the disqualification was equated to the shedding of crocodile tears by the discerning public.

Vinesh Phogat's achievement can only be understood in its true proportions if we take into account the reason for her being above the permissible weight by a mere 100 grams. This is also the reason why she has been a thorn in the flesh of the authorities in our country. Phogat is an athlete whose normal weight is 55-56 kg. She usually competes in the 53kg weight category. However, she had to forgo all rigorous training during the phase of protest where she and fellow wrestlers and Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia protested for many days and nights on the streets of Delhi at Jantar Mantar demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan. Not only was she unable to train, she also had to undergo surgery to correct a lingering medical issue. In the meanwhile, the qualifying spot in her preferred 53 kg category was already taken by another wrestler. Fearing that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) would not allow her trials in the 53 kg category as retribution for her role in the protests, she appeared for trials in both the 53 kg and also the 50 kg. Subsequently, she qualified for the Olympics in the 50kg category. In a sport as gruelling as wrestling it is normal for athletes to gain and lose weight between matches. However, the very fact that Vinesh had to lose 5-6 kg just to compete in the Olympics, that too in a category that is not her preferred one speaks volumes about her determination and character. But, the very fact that she was forced to do all these is the result of the constant obstacles that were erected before her by the nefarious authorities, particularly the WFI which continues to be ruled by Brij Bhushan in all but name.

The story of Vinesh Phogat is compelling. She may have been disqualified for reasons beyond her control, and ones which are suspicious to say the least but she has, undoubtedly, won her greatest battle. She had famously proclaimed that she would happily sacrifice her career if it meant that countless other girls would get an opportunity for a safe working environment. She stuck steadfastly to the same goal going into this Olympics. She knew that it would be her last Olympics and that her career would be over but she wanted to fight for the women who would follow in her path. She was actutely aware that a victory at the Olympics, in front of the watching world would be the greatest slap in the face of a system that not only refuses to come to their aid but obstinately shields the criminals who wronged them. Needless to say, the authorities were also well aware of this. Yet, Vinesh's determination has inspired countless who celebrated each of her victories and wanted her to bring home the much coveted gold. The outrage and disappointment at her disqualification soon turned into a universal acknowledgement of the brave fight put up by this undaunted wrestler. If the rousing and heartwarming reception that she received on her return to India is any indication, Vinesh Phogat's and her fellow wrestlers fight has surely stirred the conscience of this country. This is important for a society that continues to stifle women's participation in not just sports, but all public activities. Recent events in our country are evidence that women remain unsafe in the present social atmosphere. It will be through unrelenting protests and collective activities like sports that we will achieve true democratization. Vinesh Phogat's role will forever be etched into the history of this struggle, for in a world where sportspersons and other famous personalities either openly endorse those in power or remain tight lipped to protect their own personal interests, she has fought the hard battle for a cause greater than an Olympic medal.

#Olympics #Wrestling #VineshPhogat #India

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werindialive · 1 year

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WFI management to see clean up, Singh’s family and close associates are not allowed to be in the leadership

The Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and the protesting wrestlers had a 6-hour long meeting yesterday in which they talked about their issues at length. the major takeaway from the meeting was a complete clean-up and powershift in the Wrestling Federation of India.

The Wrestling Federation of India is been ruled by BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh who is repeatedly accused of sexual harassment by athletes. his close associates as well as family members are also involved in the management of the federation. It now seems that there will be a complete change of power and the WFI will see a new leadership.

The government also assured that no member of Singh’s family will be allowed to be a part of the WFI or contest in the upcoming elections. It was also made clear that the “opinion” of the three protesting wrestlers – Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat must also be taken into account while deciding who would be the next leader of the prime federation of India. This includes posts like the president, general secretary, and treasurer.

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur made these changes clear after the meeting, during a press conference, and said, “The WFI elections should be conducted by June 30 and WFI’s Internal Complaints Committee be set up with a woman as head. After the elections, WFI should function as a good federation with good office-bearers. Players’ opinions should be taken in this regard.”

Singh has been leading the WFI for 12 years now and had to change the leadership because of the tenure cap outlined by the National Sports Code. However, as per the latest meeting outcomes, neither Singh’s family nor his close associates can take that seat now.

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#werindia #leading india news source #wrestlers protest #Sports Minister Anurag Thakur #BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh #national news in India

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nemoday · 3 years

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The Age of Enlightenment or the “Age of Reason” was the intellectual and philosophical movement that swept Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Enlightenment thinkers such as John Locke, David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire and others theorized that man had specific natural and God-given rights that no aristocratic or monarchal government could deny him.

It is considered the most important event in modern history. It established that all men were equal and guaranteed the pursuit of happiness, sovereignty of reason, and “evidence was the source of all knowledge.” It affirmed the rights of liberty, toleration, fraternity and self government. It divided church and state, and recognized the ownership of “ideas” and physical and intellectual property.

According to the latest World Freedom Index, democracy is facing its most serious crisis in years. Its basic tenets, including guarantees of free and fair elections, human rights protections, freedom of the press, and democratic rule of law have come under attack around the world. This increased last year due to the mandated restrictions on individual rights by government during the pandemic.

Since the Great Recession, we have seen a global slide of freedom take place. Recent data show 113 countries saw a net decline, with only 62 having experienced a net improvement. Seventy-one countries suffered net declines in political rights and civil liberties, with only 35 making small gains.

“I’ve proposed that we start charting those that get vaccinated and those that won’t.” – Joe Biden

For the past 13 years, the WFI has been in retreat. The U.S. slipped steadily to number 15 by 2021. This sharp decline is attributed to increased censorship during the last election. America fell out of the top 10 in protecting individual rights, civil liberties and free speech.

The pandemic is a gift that keeps on giving for power-hungry politicians. It gave them a convenient pretext to silence critics and to increase power. They have utilized censorship to feed the message to expand government as a caregiver and provider. They turned a containable threat into a liberty-constraining opportunity. This expansion of central power will be the pandemic’s enduring legacy.

Governments know the public is more willing to accept increased central power in times of crisis, that’s why responsible government is needed. But during this pandemic, power hungry politicians cited COVID-19 as a dictation to censor government criticism and undermine judicial balance of power.

“There is no absolute power that truly empowers without corrupting.” –Constance Friday

Globally, governments stepped out of line in the name of protection. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán declared a state of emergency to rule by decree. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gifted himself total power to silence critics and restrict individual rights. Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha will only allow reporters to republish government press releases. In Bangladesh, Cambodia, Venezuela and Turkey, anyone who criticizes government abuse of power will be jailed.

The Algerian government has halted any protests seeking reforms. The Russian government has outlawed protests against Vladimir Putin’s plans to become their dictator for the rest of his life. The Indian government recently announced a lockdown to end political protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strict anti-Muslim citizenship policies.

“I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason: I insist on the right to criticize her.” – James Baldwin

The biggest offender of individual freedom are the Chinese. They’ve expanded power in the China Sea, and threatened Taiwan’s and Hong Kong’s sovereignty to abridge UN discussions about their role in the pandemic. They put Communist Party goals over the health of world citizens, refusing to inform the WHO of the Wuhan virus. Reacting to global critics, they locked out foreign journalists.

In the U.S., claiming to protect us from ourselves during the pandemic, leftists violated our rights daily. Since the pandemic was declared in March 2020, progressives have used COVID-19 as a vehicle to advance their political power without regard for our Constitutional rights and liberties.

During the 2020 elections, liberal state governors arbitrarily mass-mailed ballots to everyone and reinvented rules that violated election integrity. Liberal social media giants censored material from conservatives, and refused to allow any information about illegal activities by Hunter Biden.

This blatant, abusive censorship violated free speech and did not go unnoticed on the freedom index.

Biden signed 40 executive orders in his first two weeks in office. Yale law professor Christina Rodriguez says many of them face challenges in the courts. His open border policy was recently struck down by a Texas court that ruled he violated his obligation to protect the rights of Americans. A federal judge just halted a program Biden approved to provide relief for farmers of color. Judge William Griesbach alleged it is unconstitutional for Biden to exclude whites from a federal program.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi attempted to eradicate state election laws with the passage of the H.R. 1. This was billed as the “For The People Act” to take federal control of all state elections. It would give the left a dishonest advantage in determining all future elections and it violated the 10th Amendment.

“This gives the federal government authority to set standards for future state elections.” – Nancy Pelosi

Last week, Biden violated our property rights with an eviction moratorium although two months ago the Supreme Court ruled government “exceeded its legal authority issuing the nationwide eviction moratorium.” The court gave Congress two weeks to end it and return control of the properties to the landlords.

“Congress had no legal authority to approve this in the first place.” – Brett Kavanaugh

Plato told us, “What you do speaks louder than what you say.” Since WWII, America set the gold standard for global democracy. And for decades, other nations cloned America’s model. But with the rise of progressivism last decade, many of the countries that emulated America are also now following us in the wrong direction. This global pattern ominously shows Democracy is retreating.

During the Cold War, America had strong leadership that enforced the precepts of our Constitution. This influenced many nations to adopt democracy after the Cold War. And when the U.S. allowed populism to displace constitutional law, those nations did so too. U.S. identity politics and liberalism has fueled democratic reversals in nations that once envied our democracy. America’s failure to protect our rights and liberties is being felt around the world. The entire free world goes in the same direction we do. Is this right or good for the free world?

“The genius of America may be that it built the fall of Rome into its makeup and it is consciously a constant work in progress.” – Cullen Murphy

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