Tears in Eyes, Sakshi Malik Quits Wrestling On Live TV As Brij Bhushan's Aide Elected WFI Prez | WATCH

Star wrestler Sakshi Malik announced that she would give up wrestling and broke down on live television on Thursday, just hours after an aide of controversial former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) boss Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was elected to the body’s top post.

“We slept for 40 days on the roads and a lot of people from several parts of the country came to support us… If Brij Bhushan Singh’s business partner and a close aide is elected the president of WFI, I quit wrestling…,” a teary-eyed Malik, 31, who is the first Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal, said at a packed press conference in New Delhi. She was flanked by fellow wrestlers who launched a protest campaign against Brij Bhushan earlier this year.

The dramatic announcement came after Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association vice-president Sanjay Singh won the president’s post in a WFI election, which was necessitated due to sexual harassment allegations against Brij Bhushan, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarian.

Singh beat Anita Sheoran, a Commonwealth Games gold medallist who had the backing of wrestlers.

Malik said protesting wrestlers have demanded for a woman to be made WFI president. “If the president would be a woman, harassment would not happen. But, there was no participation of women earlier and today you can see the list, not even a single woman was given a position. We had fought with complete strength but this fight will continue. The wrestlers of the new generation have to fight.”

From Wrestlers’ Protest On Sexual Harassment Allegations Against Brij Bhushan to New WFI Chief | Timeline

On Malik’s announcement, former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh said, “I have nothing to do with this…”

The WFI top spot election grabbed public attention after sexual harassment allegations were levelled against its chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Apart from the new president for WFI, the polls will also fill up posts for a senior vice-president, four vice-presidents, a secretary-general, a treasurer, two joint secretaries and five executive members.

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Future of Wrestling Is In The Dark: Protesting Wrestlers

Addressing a press conference, wrestlers, who accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual exploitation and intimidation, expressed disappointment over the WFI elections.

Another star wrestler, Bajrang Punia, said there could be attempts to save Brij Bhushan from court cases. “…but I have faith in our courts and hope he will be punished by law.”

“Union sports minister had said on record that no one associated with Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh will be allowed to fight the election. The person who won the elections of WFI is an aide of Brij Bhushan. I suspect that they will now save him from the case as well but I have faith in our courts and hope he will be punished by law.”

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat said there are very less expectations but we hope that we get justice. “It’s saddening that the future of wrestling is in the dark. To whom shall we convey our grief?… We are still fighting.”