Oly medallist Sakshi quits wrestling after Bhushan loyalist becomes WFI chief

NT Correspondent

New Delhi: Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik on Thursday announced her retirement from the sport, protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh winning the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election for the top job.

Sanjay, a close associate of outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan, became the new WFI president with his panel winning 13 of the 15 posts in the elections here on Thursday.

"We fought from our heart but if a man like Brij Bhushan, his business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling," said a teary-eyed Sakshi, and kept her shoes on the table in a dramatic announcement.

"We wanted a female president but that did not happen," the 31-year-old, who is also a CWG gold medallist, added.

In January, several star wrestlers from India, including Malik, Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and threetime Commonwealth Games gold medallist Vinesh Phogat, had launched a protest against Brij Bhushan, a BJP MP, accusing him of intimidation and sexual harassment.

The protest at Jantar Mantar resumed in April after no action was taken by the oversight committees that were formed to look into the allegations.

Seven complainants, including a minor, accused Brij Bhushan of demanding sexual favours for professional help on at least two occasions citing 15 incidents of molestation and other forms of sexual harassment.

Ahead of the elections, Oylmpic medal winning grapplers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi had repeatedly requested Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to stop anyone associated with Brij Bhushan from contesting the WFI polls.

Consequently, neither Brij Bhushan's son Prateek nor son-in-law Vishal Singh entered the fray.

Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat, who addressed the media after the elections, did not say whether they will retire from the sport.

"It's unfortunate that government did not stand by its word that no Brij Bhushan loyalist will contest the WFI election," Bajrang said.