Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, in a heartfelt press statement, expressed her intention to quit wrestling due to disappointment with the election of Sanjay Singh as the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Sanjay, a loyalist of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, secured victory by defeating former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran with a vote count of 40 to 7 in the WFI elections held in New Delhi on December 21.
Speaking to the press in the capital, Sakshi shared her disappointment with the Sports Ministry's failure to fulfill promises made to wrestlers regarding the exclusion of family and close aides of Singh, who faced accusations of sexual harassment.
Sakshi emphasised that Sanjay, previously serving as the vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Federation, was a close associate and right-hand man of Brij Bhushan.
Sakshi, who was joined by Tokyo Olympics medallist Bajrang Punia during a press conference, became emotional and broke down in tears. She expressed gratitude to the public and the media for their support during the widely discussed protest against the former WFI president and the previous administration of the WFI.
"We slept for 40 days on the roads and a lot of people from several parts of the country came to support us. If Brij Bhushan Singh's business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling," the star wrestler said at the Press Club of India on December 21.
After the emotional press conference in the capital, Sakshi was seen leaving the premises in tears. When asked about Sakshi’s comment, Brij Bhushan, the former WFI chief played it down.
"I have nothing to do with this.,,," Singh said on December 21.
'WE DEMANDED A FEMALE PRESIDENT'
Sakshi and fellow wrestlers who opposed Brij Bhushan, a Member of Parliament from the BJP, supported Anita Sheoran's candidacy for the role of WFI president. Anita aimed to become the first female president of the national wrestling body but lost the elections, receiving only 7 votes out of 47.
"We have made demands for a woman president. If the president would be a woman, harassment would not happen. But, there was no participation of women earlier and today you can see the list, not even a single woman was given a position. We had fought with complete strength but this fight will continue. The wrestlers of the new generation have to fight," Sakshi said.
WHY THE PROTEST AGAINST BRIJ BHUSHAN?
Prominent Olympians such as Vinesh Phogat, Malik, and Punia had been demanding the arrest of Brij Bhushan during their extensive protest that lasted over five months. The protest was in response to allegations of sexual harassment involving seven wrestlers, including a minor. The athletes concluded their protest in June when a chargesheet was filed against Brij Bhushan.
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