File image of Sakshi Malik.
Ace wrestler Sakshi Malik reiterated the demand for Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh or anyone associated with him to not get elected as the country’s wrestling chief two days after the date for the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) polls was announced.
The WFI elections was originally set to take place in August only to be put on hold by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The Supreme Court of India, however, set aside the stay order on the elections on 28 November, allowing them to go ahead. The elections are now scheduled to take place on 21 December with the results being declared on the same day.
Rio Olympics bronze medallist Malik, who was among the key figures in the wrestlers’ protest against Brij Bhushan earlier this year, hoped Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur would stick to his promise and not allow anyone associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj to hold a post with the federation after the election.
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Sakshi, along Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang, on Monday requested Anurag Thakur to ensure that Sanjay Singh does not contest for the post of WFI President since he is a close associate of Brij Bhushan.
“As the dates of the elections for the WFI have been announced, we met him regarding that. We stopped our protests after listening to the govt but now it is the time of the Govt to fulfil their promise that no one related to Brij Bhushan Singh should get a post in the federation. Anurag Thakur said that the govt will keep their promises and we hope the same,” Malik told PTI on Monday.
Two candidates — Brij Bhushan-loyalist Sanjay Singh and 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran are in the running for the WFI president’s post.
“Yes, we met with the sports minister today and reminded him of his promise that no one related to Brij Bhushan should contest the WFI elections,” Bajrang told PTI.
“Sanjay Singh is his close associate and he should withdraw from the elections or otherwise we will decide our future course of action soon. We told that to the minister,” said Bajrang.
Sanjay, who is a Brij Bhushan loyalist, was part of the WFI’s last executive council. He was also the national federation’s joint secretary since 2019.
Bajrang also said that they have no issues with Sheoran as she is a former wrestler and is very well aware about the plight of the athletes.
“We want some former wrestler to take the charge of WFI, who at least knows what it takes to win medals for the country. Anita ji (Sheoren) is a Commonwealth Games medallist and understands the demands of wrestlers,” he said.
Anita, who is in the running to become the first woman president of the WFI is also reportedly a witness in the sexual harassment cases filed against Brij Bhushan.
Brij Bhushan is currently out on bail. He is not eligible to contest in the WFI elections as has completed 12 years as an office-bearer, which is the maximum term allowed as per the National Sports Code.
He also assured that no one from his family would contest the polls.
Accordingly, Brij Bhushan, who is the president of the Uttar Pradesh wrestling body, and his son Karan, who is a vice-president in the same state body, will not compete in the elections.
Brij Bhushan’s son-in-law Vishal Singh, president of the Bihar Wrestling Federation, is also not contesting the elections.
A source in the WFI said it’s not a surprise that efforts are still being made to influence the elections.
“You can see for yourself that there are efforts to influence polls. But we are confident that better sense will prevail,” said a WFI source.
“Sanjay is eligible to contest and that’s why the returning officer cleared his name for election. Why should anyone object to his nomination,” the former WFI official said.
Bajrang and two-time World Championships bronze medallist Vinesh Phogat were some of the other leading wrestlers besides Malik who participated in the protest against Brij Bhushan that briefly took place in January before intensifying between the months of April and June this year. A Delhi court is hearing the matter.
The agitation had finally been called off by the wrestlers in June after a chargesheet had been filed against Brij Bhushan as well as following a round of talks with Union Minister Thakur.
Brij Bhushan was accused of sexually harassing several female wrestlers besides mental harassment and financial mismanagement. The protest not only led to his ouster as WFI chief with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) putting in place an ad-hoc committee to run the day-to-day affairs of the federation.
The failure to conduct its elections on time led to the WFI getting suspended by United World Wrestling in August, which the protesting wrestlers termed as a “black day for Indian wrestling“. As a result of the suspension, the Indian grapplers had to compete under a neutral flag in the World Championships that took place in Belgrade in September.
With inputs from PTI
