Sakshi Malik on Wednesday said the 'goons' of former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh have become active. Sakshi who announced retirement from wrestling after Briij Bhushan's close aide Sanjay Singh was elected the president of the federation said her mother has been getting threatening phone calls. "Our safety is the government's responsibility," Sakshi Malik said in a press conference. In a major twist amid the WFI row, a protest against Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat started at Jantar Mantar on Wednesday. Junior wrestlers from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi assembled at Jantar Mantar carrying banners that read: "UWW save our wrestling from these 3 wrestlers". The three wrestlers have been the face of the protest against Brij Bhushan accusing him of sexual harassment.
"We knew Brij Bhushan is influential but we did not know he was so powerful that he would declare nationals without discussing with anyone from his residence. Now we are being accused of spoiling the wrestling careers of the juniors. I have taken sanyas from wrestling. I want junior girls to fulfil what I could not -- I want them to win silver, gold for the country. I don't want any junior should suffer for us," Sakshi Malik said.
"We have no problem with the new federation or the ad-hoc committee. We only had a problem with Brij Bhushan's aide Sanjay Singh," Sakshi said.
After Sakshi's announcement of retirement, Bajrang Punia put his Padma Shri on the footpath, Vinesh Phogat kept her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards on the street – renouncing them.
"I have been mentally and physically exhausted for the past year. I did not have the idea that Brij Bhushan's aide Sanjay Singh would be elected the president. I don't what I will do next," Sakshi Malik said on being asked whether she wants to contest in the WFI election. The WFI was suspended by the sports ministry for announcing nationals without following the rules. The ad hoc committee was set up by the Indian Olympic Association after the ministry instructed it to manage the affairs of the federation for the time being.
{{/usCountry}}"I have been mentally and physically exhausted for the past year. I did not have the idea that Brij Bhushan's aide Sanjay Singh would be elected the president. I don't what I will do next," Sakshi Malik said on being asked whether she wants to contest in the WFI election. The WFI was suspended by the sports ministry for announcing nationals without following the rules. The ad hoc committee was set up by the Indian Olympic Association after the ministry instructed it to manage the affairs of the federation for the time being.
{{/usCountry}}President of the suspended WFI Sanjay Singh said they don't recognise the ad hoc committee and will organise national championships.
"How will they (ad-hoc panel) organise Nationals if our state associations will not send the teams? We will organise our National Championship soon. We are soon calling the Executive Committee meeting. The notice of the EC meeting will be sent in a day or two and we will have the Nationals organised before they do it," Sanjay Singh said adding that the suspended WFI wrote to the sports ministry that they have not flouted any rules.