Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik has resigned from wrestling following the election of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s assistant, Sanjay Singh, to the position of Wrestling Federation of India president. The champion wrestler protested during a press conference by placing her shoe on the table, and she later sobbed in front of the camera. In response to Sanjay Singh’s election to the Indian wrestling governing board, BJP member Brij Bhushan pledged that there will be no political revenge against wrestlers who have accused him of sexual harassment or calls for his resignation as WFI president.
Singh said in conversation with PTI, “There will be no partiality. All will get support from WFI,” he told PTI.
“We have to look after the game and not the mistakes of the wrestlers. If they will suffer due to their mistakes, then the federation will not be impartial,” he added.
Sakshi Malik and numerous other top-tier wrestlers initiated a large-scale demonstration earlier in the year to demand that Brij Bhushan be held accountable for allegedly harassing female wrestlers in a sexual manner. On May 28, after a few weeks, the Delhi Police called off their demonstration at Jantar Mantar.
According to PTI, the wrestlers formally ended their protest on June 7 after receiving assurances from the Sports Minister that none of Brij Bhushan’s relatives or close friends will be permitted to participate in the WFI election.
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s ardent supporter is Sanjay Singh. Of the 15 posts, 13 were won by his panel. He was the UP Wrestling Association’s vice president. His company is a construction company.
“It’s a triumph for thousands of wrestlers in the country who suffered in the past 7-8 months,” Sanjay Singh proclaimed after the win.
“We will respond to politics with politics and wrestling with wrestling,” he added.
“We fought from our heart but if a man like Brij Bhushan, his business partner and a close aide has been elected as the president of WFI, then I quit wrestling,” averred an emotional Sakshi.
“We wanted a female president but that did not happen,” the Olympic champion said.
