Shruti Suman
Boxer Vijender Singh expressed his reaction to Sakshi Malik’s decision to retire from wrestling in protest against the victory of Sanjay Singh, a loyalist of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election. Vijender Singh, an Olympic boxing medalist and Congress leader, had previously joined wrestlers protesting against sexual harassment charges at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar in January.
The top wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia, had accused Brij Bhushan of sexual exploitation, leading to a court case. In the recent WFI elections, Sanjay Singh, closely associated with the outgoing WFI chief, became the new president. This outcome disappointed the top wrestlers who had advocated for a change in leadership.
Vijender Singh expressed his dismay, stating that it is disheartening to see an athlete like Sakshi Malik retire after reaching the pinnacle of success, being an Olympic, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games medalist. He emphasized the seriousness of the issue, questioning the democratic processes involved in the election.
At a press conference, Vijender claimed that the sports industry was upset with Malik’s retirement and pledged to advocate for women’s safety and athletes’ employment. He alleged that Malik was forced to retire without receiving justice from the government.
In the WFI election results, Sanjay Singh secured the presidency with 40 votes, defeating Anita Sheoran. Despite this, Sheoran’s panel won the key post of secretary-general, and another candidate, Devender Singh Kadian, claimed the senior vice president’s position.
