Sakshi Malik quits wrestling after Brijbhushan's aide elected as WFI chief
New Delhi: Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik on Thursday announced her retirement from wrestling soon after Sanjay Singh, an aide of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Singh, was elected as president of India's top wrestling body.
"We fought from our heart but if a man like Brij Bhushan's business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling ...," a teary-eyed Sakshi said at a press conference here.
#साक्षी_मलिक भारत की एकमात्र महिला पहलवान है जिसने कुश्ती में देश के लिए #ओलंपिक में पदक जीता है।
— Satyapal Malik 🇮🇳 (@SatyapalmalikG) December 21, 2023
एक Olympian खिलाड़ी का व्यस्था से निराश होकर कुश्ती को अलविदा कहना बहुत ही दुखदाई है- सत्यपाल मलिक (पूर्व गवर्नर) #SatyapalMalik pic.twitter.com/zgsPynRawn
Earlier in the day, Brij Bhushan's close aide Sanjay Singh was elected as WFI president.
Sanjay Singh defeated Anita Sheoran 40-7 in a virtually one-sided contest.
However, Prem Chand Lochab, who seemingly got the support of the protesting wrestlers, was elected as the secretary general.
"We wanted a woman president but that did not materialise," the Commonwealth Games gold medallist said.
Ahead of the elections, Olympic medal-winning grapplers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi had requested Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to dissuade anyone close to Brijbhushan from contesting the elections.
Punia expressed disappointment over the government's failure to stop a close aide of Brijbhushan from contesting the elections.
(With UNI inputs)
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