Malleswari resigns as IWF vice-president?

Sydney Olympics bronze medallist Karnam Malleswari has resigned as the vice-president of Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF), reports said today.

Sydney Olympics bronze-medallist Karnam Malleswari has reportedly resigned as vice-president of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWF).

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According to reports, Malleswari was upset with the way the IWF was working and felt that the federation was being run by people who do not know anything about the sport.

However, when contacted IWF secretary Sahdev Yadav, he said they have not yet received the resignation letter from Malleswari.

“I don’t know. We have come to know about it only through the media,” Yadav said.

Malleswari, the country’s first woman to win an Olympic medal, also complained of politics in IWF and felt that the performance of the lifters had gone down considerably under the current regime.

Asked about Malleswari’s claims, Yadav said, “If performances have gone done, it is because of strict disciplinary actions taken by the federation in the wake of growing doping cases. Performances will improve within a year.”

Yadav in turn said the federation had offered the job of coach to Malleswari but she rejected it and skipped at least five meetings of the selection committee, of which she is a member.

Malleswari, a few months back, had accused coach Ramesh Malhotra of sexually harassing lifters under his charge.

However, a committee set up to look into the claims, did not frame any charge against Malhotra. The lifters in question had given in writing to the federation that they were not harassed by Malhotra.