On Thursday, dramatic developments in New Delhi saw Sanjay Singh, “a friend” of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, elected as President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Less than an hour after the news broke out, Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia addressed the media.
“We slept for 40 days on the roads and a lot of people from several parts of the country came to support us,” said a tearful Sakshi. “If Brij Bhushan Singh’s business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling.”
Symbolically, Sakshi left her shoes at the venue, the Press Club of India, where the wrestlers addressed the media.
“We are meeting the media after a long time,” said Bajrang. “The wrestlers gave their statements that anyone connected with Brij Bhushan should not contest the elections. I do not think the betis (daughters) have got justice.
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मैंने देश के लिए जितने भी पुरस्कार जीते हैं आप सब के आशीर्वाद से जीते हैं , मैं आप सभी देशवाशियों की हमेशा आभारी रहुंगी। 🇮🇳
कुश्ती को अलविदा ।🙏 pic.twitter.com/yyO4lG59rL— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) December 21, 2023
“The promise the government made to us has not been kept. Future generations of wrestlers will also have to continue the fight.”
“The new president is right hand of Brij Bhushan,” added Sakshi. “We wanted a lady President (Anita Sheoran) and that promise has not been kept. We started the ladai (movement) and that will continue. We came in January and protested, and then back to the streets later. We met people in the government. Nothing has happened.
“I am sad that despite all the fight we did for justice, we could not succeed. From streets and public and to the sports ministry, we knocked on all doors. Those involved in ‘harassment’ are going to continue. Future generation of girls will have to continue their fight.
“I am still hoping we will get justice eventually, but I am very sad today. The future of wrestling, where do we go and narrate our sad stories. We are training and hopeful of justice.”
“We have no fight against the government,” said an emotional Bajrang. “Brij Bhushan has power. We know it today.”
Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan told a wire service: “I did not let anyone from my family contest. The federation selected a candidate, and I had said before this that we have a majority. That’s how it turned out as we (president) got 40 out of 47 votes.”
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