Vinesh Phogat: India's best wrestler returns medal amid sexual assault allegations.

Vinesh Phogat, one of India's most decorated wrestlers, walked out of the prestigious awards ceremony after being denied a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She and several other wrestlers have accused former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Singh of sexually harassing female wrestlers for years.

Mr Singh denies these allegations. This week, Mr Phogat announced that he would return the country's top sports awards, the Khel Ratna Award and the Arjuna Award, given by the government, in 2020.

He had planned to present the award to Mr. Modi but was stopped by the police. Mr. Phogat left the award on a sidewalk in Delhi on Saturday. According to him, such awards have become meaningless when fighters are fighting for justice. The first protests by fighters began in January.

Mr Phogat, a two-time World Championship medallist, said at least 10 female wrestlers were sexually abused by Mr. Singh, an influential lawmaker and politician from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The court is hearing allegations of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation against Mr Singh.

Mr Phogat said he complained about him to the Prime Minister in 2021. In May, fighters said they were assaulted by police during a protest in Delhi.

The election of a close associate of Mr. Singh as the federation's new president earlier this month sparked angry protests from fighters. Another prominent fighter, Sakshi Malik Singh, said she quit fighting in protest at her loyalists' elected officials.

Mr Phogat has won medals at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games. The 29-year-old athlete, who belongs to a family of international fighters, has publicly criticized sexist attitudes towards women. In 2021, she told BBC Sport how she grew up hearing sexist comments and how she overcame gender stereotypes. Build a successful career as a professional athlete.