Source: X
Guwahati, Dec 22: In a poignant turn of events, Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik announced her decision to step away from wrestling on Thursday in protest against the victory of BJP loyalist, backed by parliamentarian Brij Bhusan Sharan Singh, in the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) presidential election,.
The election result, which saw Sanjay Singh emerge victorious as the WFI president, came as a blow to dissenting voices within the wrestling community. Sanjay Singh's panel secured a sweeping victory by clinching 13 out of 15 posts in Thursday's election.
The backdrop of Sakshi Malik's decision traces back to the protests held earlier this year by prominent male and female wrestlers at Jantar Mantar. The protests targeted Brij Bhusan Sharan Singh, who was then the chief of the WFI, with accusations of sexual harassment levelled against him by female wrestlers.
Addressing a press conference, a visibly emotional Sakshi Malik placed her wrestling shoes on the table while announcing about her withdrawal from the sport. The athlete expressed her deep discontentment with the election outcome and chose to make a symbolic statement before leaving the conference in tears.