Sakshi Malik quits wrestling after Brij Bhushan's aide Sanjay Singh becomes WFI president
(Courtesy : Twitter Screenshot)
Malik was the first Indian woman wrestler to win Olympic medal.
Sakshi Malik, the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal, has decided to quit the sport after Sanjay Singh was elected as the new president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Thursday. She expressed her frustration and disappointment over the election results, which she said were unfair and biased.
“We protested for 40 days on the streets, but we are grateful to the people who supported us. But I cannot continue wrestling if the WFI president is the business partner and close friend of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. I quit wrestling…” Malik said at a press conference in New Delhi.
Sanjay Singh, who is the vice president of the Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association and a loyalist of Brij Bhushan, won the WFI presidential election by a huge margin of 40 votes to 7. He defeated Anita Sheoran, a former India wrestler and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, who was the preferred candidate of the protesting wrestlers.
The WFI elections, which were due in July, had been delayed due to legal battles filed by some of the unhappy wrestlers. They had accused Brij Bhushan, who had been the WFI president since 2012 and is now a BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, of corruption, nepotism, and sexual harassment of women wrestlers. They had also demanded that the WFI elections be transparent and impartial, without the influence of Brij Bhushan or his associates. They had sought the intervention of the sports minister and the Supreme Court.
Indian Sports Live Coverage on Khel Now
- India vs USA Live Updates: Women’s FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2024
- Malaysia Open 2024: Satwik-Chirag creates history, becomes first Indian to reach final
- Rohan Bopanna kickstarts the 2024 season with runner-up finish at Adelaide International
- Asian Olympics Qualifiers 2024: Vijayveer Sidhu secures India’s 17th shooting quota
- Australian Open 2024: Sumit Nagal becomes first Indian to enter singles main draw of a Grand Slam since 2021
- Aman Sehrawat clinches gold in 57kg freestyle at Zagreb Open Ranking Series 2024
- List of Indian athletes to have secured qualification for Paris Olympics 2024
The international federation, United World Wrestling, had also suspended the WFI for failing to conduct fresh polls on time. The Supreme Court recently removed the stay imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, allowing the election process to resume.
The protesting wrestlers, who include Olympic and world champions like Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, have reacted angrily and bitterly to Sanjay Singh’s election. They have vowed to continue their fight for their rights and the future of Indian wrestling. They have also questioned the validity and legitimacy of the WFI elections and the role of the sports ministry and the Indian Olympic Association in monitoring them.
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram
- Top five incidents that shocked Indian sports in 2024
- Indian Sports Calendar January 2025: England Tour of India, Kabaddi Nationals, Hockey India League and more events to watch
- Indian Sports Calendar 2025: ICC Champions Trophy, Shooting World Cup, schedule and dates of major events
- Inspire Institute of Sports announces international women's wrestling camp
- Sports Calendar 2025: ICC Champions Trophy, Asian Winter Games, World C'ships, schedule of major events
- Sports Calendar 2025: ICC Champions Trophy, Asian Winter Games, World C'ships, schedule of major events
- Top 10 best moments in Indian sports in 2024
- Full list of Indian medal winners at Summer Olympics
- "She definitely deserves a silver medal…" Sachin Tendulkar breaks his silence on Vinesh Phogat disqualification row
- Skill-wise there are no major differences when you compare the athletes, says Indian wrestler Sangram Singh