Indian wrestler Sakshee Malikkh, a bronze medalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has announced her retirement from wrestling in protest of the appointment of Sanjay Singh as the new president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Notably, Sanjay Singh is an aide of the former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.#WATCH | Delhi: Wrestler Sakshi Malik breaks down as she says ...If Brij Bhushan Singhs business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling... pic.twitter.com/26jEqgMYSd— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023The newly elected president is a long-time associate of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced accusations of sexual harassment from several female wrestlers and was forced to step down from his post earlier this year. Sanjay Singh won 40 out of 47 votes in the WFI elections held today in New Delhi.#WATCH | Delhi: Wrestler Sakshi Malik breaks down as she leaves after addressing a press conference.Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singhs aide Sanjay Singh has been elected as the new president of the Wrestling Federation of India. pic.twitter.com/Rc85nAkvgy— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023Sakshi along with fellow Olympic medalists Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, were vocal critics of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and had actively campaigned for Anita Sheoran, a Commonwealth Games gold medalist, who received only seven votes in the 50-member electoral board.#WATCH | Delhi: On former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singhs aide Sanjay Singh elected as the new president of the WFI, Wrestler Sakshi Malik says, We have made demands for a woman president. If the president would be a woman, harassment would not happen. But, there was no… pic.twitter.com/SEFwYKErNW— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023Indias veteran wrestlers including Sakshee Malikkh, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia also expressed their disappointment at the appointment of the new WFIs chief. Vinesh Phogat also broke downAddressing the press conference after the results were announced, Vinesh Phogat broke down in tears. Now that Sanjay Singh has been elected chief of the federation, women wrestlers will continue to face harassment, she said, expressing her doubt about finding justice in the country and the bleak future of wrestling careers in India.#WATCH | Delhi: On former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singhs aide Sanjay Singh elected as the new president of the WFI, Wrestler Vinesh Phogat says, There are minimal expectations but we hope that we get justice. Its saddening that the future of wrestling is in the dark. To… pic.twitter.com/Sr8r2Nvuqg— ANI (@ANI) December 21, 2023She said, The future of our wrestling career is in the dark. We do not know where to go. Bajrang Punia, an Olympic bronze medalist, said he was disappointed by the governments failure to fulfil its promises to the wrestlers. We are not linked to any party, we did not come here for politics. We were fighting for truth, but today an aide of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has become the WFI president, he said.What were the demands of wrestlersMalikkh, who had earlier expressed her desire for a woman to head the wrestling body, announced her retirement by placing her wrestling boots on the table in front of the media. We fought, but if the new president is Brij Bhushans aide, his business partner, then I quit wrestling, she declared.What was the allegation against former WFIs chiefThe wrestlers protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh began in January this year when they staged a sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, accusing him of sexual misconduct and demanding his removal from the WFI. The protest led to the government ordering a probe into the allegations and assuring the wrestlers that no one associated with Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh would be allowed to contest the next WFI elections. While his son and son-in-law did not contest the polls, his close aide Sanjay Singhs nomination was cleared, leading to the current controversy and Malikkhs decision to quit the sport.
