New Delhi: Soon after election results for 15 Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) posts were announced Thursday, which saw Sanjay Kumar Singh — a close aide of former WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh — being elected the new president, wrestler Sakshee Mallikh declared her intention to quit the sport.
Mallikh, an Olympic bronze medal-winning wrestler, was among those who had spearheaded protests against Brij Bhushan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Kaiserganj, who is facing sexual harassment charges. Her announcement came at a conference held at Delhi’s Press Club of India with fellow wrestlers, and protestors against Brij Bhushan, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat.
“I thank everyone who came to support us during the protests. We fought with all our heart…. but if the president of WFI is someone who’s like Brij Bhushan… who’s his aide, his business partner, if he is in federation, then I give up wrestling,” said Mallikh, placing her wrestling boots on the table.
She then left the conference with folded hands, without taking any questions.
In a post on X later, she wrote: “The awards I have won for India, I have won with your blessings. I will always be grateful to everyone in the country. I bid goodbye to wrestling.”
The mood at the Press Club was somber, as the wrestlers cried and admitted defeat in their fight against Brij Bhushan. “Young women wrestlers will continue to get exploited,” said Vinesh Phogat.
Punia, meanwhile rued that he didn’t know “where to go to get justice” and said that wrestling was one place where caste or religion don’t matter.
“There are a lot of issues going on in the country right now. Related to caste and religion… in our teams there are Muslims and there are baniya [people from the trading community]… people of all castes and religions… we all eat together, there’s no discrimination,” he said.
The wrestlers leading the protest against Brij Bhushan also claimed their lives were in danger. “We started with 20 complainants. Now only five are left. Our lives are in danger…” said Punia.
Also read: Brij Bhushan takes aim at Phogat & Punia’s Asiad shot — ‘not much hope of medals from team’
Wrestlers vs Brij Bhushan
Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brij Bhushan, was elected WFI president with 40 votes against seven won by rival Anita Sheoran, a former commonwealth champion who is also a witness in the case against Brij Bhushan.
Wrestlers had started their protest against Brij Bhushan in New Delhi in January this year, leveling accusations of sexual harassment against the former WFI president. The protest was called off following dialogue with the government.
However, on 23 April, the wrestlers returned to the national capital, and occupied Janpath, demanding an FIR against Singh. The FIR was registered after Supreme Court intervention.
A chargesheet was filed against him by Delhi Police in June.
The BJP MP has previously denied the allegations against him.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)