Award wapsi returns: Bajrang gives up Padma

NT Correspondent

New Delhi: There seems to be no end to controversies surrounding Indian wrestling as Olympic medallist grappler Bajrang Punia on Friday decided to return his Padma Shri award in protest against the election of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh as the president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI).

On Thursday, Sanjay Singh was elected as the president of the WFI after the panel led by the close aide of Brij Bhushan won 13 of the 15 posts.

The wrestlers had demanded that no close associate of Brij Bhushan should enter the WFI.

"I am retur ning my Padma Shri award to the Prime Minister. This is just my letter. This is my statement," read a post shared by the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist wrestler on X, formerly Twitter.

Sakshi Malik, Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat had addressed a press conference after Sanjay's election in which Sakshiannounced that she would quit the sport as a mark of protest.

Bajrang was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2019 after a consistent run.