Olympic medalist Sakshi left wrestling
New Delhi: Rio Olympics bronze medalist Sakshi Malik on Thursday announced her retirement from the sport in protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh, who won the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election for the top post here.
Sanjay, a close aide of outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan, became the new WFI president on his panel by winning 13 out of 15 posts in the elections held here on Thursday.
“We fought from our heart, but if a person like Brij Bhushan, his business partner and close associate is elected as the WFI president, then I will quit wrestling,” Sakshi said with tears in her eyes. Dramatic announcement.
“We wanted a woman president but it didn’t happen,” said the 31-year-old, who is also a Commonwealth Games gold medallist.
Before the elections, Olympic medalist wrestler Bajrang Punia and Sakshi had repeatedly requested Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to bar anyone associated with Brij Bhushan from contesting the WFI elections.
As a result, neither Brijbhushan’s son Prateek nor son-in-law Vishal Singh contested.
Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat, who addressed the media after the elections, did not say whether they would retire from the game or not.
Bajrang said, “It is unfortunate that the government has not kept its word that no one loyal to Brij Bhushan will contest the WFI elections.” “Upcoming women wrestlers will also have to face exploitation,” Vinesh said.
