Video: Sakshee Malikkh quits wrestling over WFI election result; leaves boots on table

Shortly after Sanjay Singh, an aide of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, was elected as the president of the body in Thursday’s elections, Olympic medallist Sakshee Malikkh declared that she has decided to quit the ring in a show of protest.

Alongside Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, Sakshee Malikkh was in the forefront of the protests seeking action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The ace wrestlers had accused the former all-powerful WFI chief of sexually harassing women wrestlers.

"We slept for 40 days on the roads and a lot of people from several parts of the country came to support us. We fought, but if the new president is Brij Bhushan’s aide, his business partner, then I quit wrestling," an emotionally charged Malikkh declared as she put her boots on the table. 

"We wanted a female president but that did not happen," the 31-year-old, who is also a CWG gold medallist, added.

Ahead of the elections, Olympic medal-winning grapplers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi had repeatedly requested Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to stop anyone associated with Brij Bhushan from contesting the WFI polls.

Consequently, neither Brij Bhushan’s son Prateek nor son-in-law Vishal Singh entered the fray.

Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat, who addressed media after the elections, did not say whether they will retire from the sport.

"It’s unfortunate that the government did not stand by its word that no Brij Bhushan loyalist will contest the WFI election," Bajrang said.

"Upcoming women wrestlers will also face exploitation," Vinesh added. 

– With PTI inputs