Olympic bronze-winning grappler Sakshi Malik on Monday ruled out a return to competitive wrestling, saying the long-standing protest against former national federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for alleged sexual harassment has left her mentally tormented.
The 31-year-old Malik had announced retirement in December last year after Sharan Singh’s close aide Sanjay Singh was elected president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in a tearful press conference.
She, Olympic-bronze medallist Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, have been protesting for months, demanding Sharan Singh’s removal and arrest.
“It’s been more than a year, there is so much mental pressure, and we have been trying to fight in every possible way to make this protest a success, so I’ll not be able to continue wrestling,” Malik said in a panel discussion on the impact of the #MeToo movement in India.
“I got (Olympic) bronze for India, and I want my juniors to get silver and gold. I would love to see each and every girl in India pursuing her dreams,” she added.
Mailk, Punia and Phogat have continued protesting against Sharan Singh even after his removal as WFI head.
They have alleged that the new federation president is merely a figurehead and Sharan Singh is calling the shots.
Her refusal to come out of retirement rules Malik out of this month’s national trials for the Olympic qualifiers. Punia has already withdrawn, saying he would not participate in any event organised by the Sanjay Singh-led WFI.
The WFI was recently granted a reprieve when the provisional suspension on it was lifted by United World Wrestling (UWW) on the condition that the protesting wrestlers would be invited to all trials and there would be no discrimination.
“Many people have told me to continue, but I don’t want to wrestle among people like Brij Bhushan. It feels bad when you see him walking around freely. It seems he is still in control,” she said.
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“I have not just heard about these incidents. I have personally experienced the harassment. I have given up wrestling, but youngsters are hoping that our movement will boot out people like Brij Bhushan. We have done everything we could.
“I am once again pleading with the government to ensure that people related to him are not allowed into wrestling’s administration. I will always stay positive, and I am hoping for a positive outcome,” she added.
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