In a surprising turn of events, Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia have raised serious allegations against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Sanjay Singh. They accuse him of using fraudulent means to overturn the ban imposed by United World Wrestling (UWW). In response to their concerns, the athletes have filed a formal complaint against the WFI and issued a warning about resuming protests.
The recent decision by UWW to lift the temporary ban on India came with a condition. The national federation, WFI, is required to provide a written guarantee assuring that no discriminatory actions will be taken against the protesting wrestlers – Bajrang, Sakshi, and Vinesh Phogat.
The ban was initially imposed by UWW in August last year due to WFI’s failure to conduct timely elections. Bajrang, Sakshi, and Vinesh had been actively protesting for over a year, demanding the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers.
Expressing her dismay in a video posted on ‘X’, Sakshi Malik stated, “Yesterday we learned that Sanjay Singh has formed an alliance with UWW to lift the suspension. Brij Bhushan and Sanjay Singh seem to think they are above the law.” When questioned about the matter during the Chess Olympiad torch handing over ceremony, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur responded, “We will address the matter accordingly.”
The accusations made by Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia against the leadership of WFI shed light on the ongoing tensions within the Indian wrestling community. The situation raises concerns about potential renewed protests unless the athletes’ grievances are appropriately addressed.
