Indian wrestler Sakshi Malik has stated that she has no issues with the newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) as long as Sanjay Singh, a loyalist of former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, is kept away from the organization. Malik recently announced her retirement in protest against the election of Sanjay Singh as WFI President.
Malik expressed her concerns about the interference of Sanjay Singh and stated that her family, particularly her mother, has been receiving threat calls from supporters of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. She requested the government to ensure that wrestling remains safe for upcoming athletes and emphasized the need to exclude Sanjay Singh from the federation.
While Malik indicated that she would accept a WFI without Sanjay Singh, she ruled out her own involvement in the administration of the federation. She urged the ad-hoc committee to conduct age-group nationals at the earliest to ensure that young wrestlers do not suffer due to the ongoing issues.
Malik also responded to the protest by junior wrestlers at Jantar Mantar, stating that her family has been receiving threats and facing abuse on social media. Despite the challenges, she emphasized her commitment to the sport and clarified that her retirement was a result of the recent developments in the WFI.
In the WFI elections, Sanjay Singh defeated Anita Sheoran, a gold medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, by a significant margin. Malik and other athletes supported Prem Chand Lochab, from the Sheoran panel, who was elected secretary general.
(With Agency Inputs)
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