Sakshi Malik, the lone Indian female wrestler to secure an Olympic medal, declared that if a close associate of Bhushan assumes office, she will refrain from participating in wrestling. The contrast in the atmosphere was striking.

Outside the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) office, which also serves as the outgoing president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s official residence, jubilant scenes unfolded. Drums and flowers welcomed the newly-elected president Sanjay Singh.

However, as soon as Brij Bhushan appeared, it became clear who held influence. Technically, Brij Bhushan had no direct involvement in Thursday’s polls. His WFI presidency had reached its limit, and neither his son nor son-in-law were contenders. Additionally, he held no official position within the federation.

Sakshi Malik Retires from Wrestiling, Image Credits – Olympics

However, as the 66-year-old BJP MP from Kaiserganj in Uttar Pradesh emerged from his office, his supporters went to great lengths to seek his blessings, literally bending over backwards. Garlanded and filled with joy, he proclaimed Sanjay’s victory as a “triumph for the wrestlers.”

Sakshi Malik Retires from Wrestling

Just over 500 meters away, within the crowded and stifling first-floor hall of the Press Club of India, three of India’s most skilled wrestlers appeared disheartened and beaten. The image of Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and Vinesh Phogat jointly speaking to the media had become a recurring theme in their ongoing protest against Brij Bhushan, a five-time MP, throughout the year.

Once again this year, they succumbed to tears, exposing their emotions with unfiltered passion and a poignant, heartfelt monologue. However, this time felt distinct, lacking any promise or optimism. In the room, packed to its limits, the three sports icons could be forgiven for feeling utterly isolated. With frequent pauses and choked words, they recounted their struggle against Brij Bhushan.

The trio initiated their protest in January, stunning the nation with their allegations. Phogat disclosed that she and Punia had met Home Minister Amit Shah before taking to the streets in January, emphasizing that it was only after exhausting all options that they resorted to such drastic measures.

Sakshi Malik Retires from Wrestling, Image Credits – Twitter

She explained that the names of the distressed wrestlers were shared with the home minister while lodging complaints about the incidents, all in the hope of safeguarding wrestling and women wrestlers. “We were told to wait for 30-40 days. It was only after waiting for 3-4 months that we initiated our protest,” she stated.

Bajrang Punia, a bronze medalist from the Tokyo Olympics and the sole Indian wrestler to secure four World Championships medals, accused Brij Bhushan of manipulating the narrative of their protest. “We attempted to confront a man whom we knew was sexually harassing women wrestlers.”

“He wielded his power to shift the focus of our fight to politics or religion. You witnessed this, and we witnessed this,” asserted the 29-year-old. “None of our futures are secure—those of us involved in the protests, including coaches and wrestlers. Anything can happen to any of us, from a car accident to any kind of accusation. The nation has now witnessed his power and his modus operandi. When 20 women came forward, he dismantled each of their cases one by one,” he added.

Sakshi Expresses her Gratitude

Malik expressed gratitude to all those who supported the wrestlers during their protest, acknowledging the diverse range of people they encountered during their sit-in. She stated, “We gathered a lot of courage for this fight against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. But today, his right-hand man (referring to Sanjay Singh) has been elected as the new WFI President. We had demanded a woman be made the president, but that has not been fulfilled.”

The unexpected blow came about 20 minutes into the press conference. A visibly emotional Malik, the sole Indian woman wrestler to win an Olympic medal, declared, “We fought from our heart, but if a man like Brij Bhushan, his business partner, and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I give up wrestling. From today onwards, you will not see me on the mat,” she declared, placing her wrestling shoes on the table. A momentary, stunned silence was shattered by loud commotion from her supporters, urging her not to retire.

FILE PHOTO: Commonwealth Games – Wrestling – Women’s Freestyle 62kg – Medal Ceremony – Coventry Arena, Coventry, Britain – August 5, 2022 Gold Medallist India’s Sakshi Malik celebrates on the podium during the medal ceremony REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo

Unmoved and inconsolable, the 31-year-old stood up from her seat and, accompanied by her husband Satyawart Kadian, left the venue. Her decade-long career, which began with a Commonwealth Championships bronze, concluded in the most dramatic and unfortunate manner imaginable. On the table remained a pair of discarded blue shoes, a poignant symbol of the years of strenuous training and competition—an athlete’s purest possession encapsulating a life of sweat and sacrifice.

Phogat, along with her husband Somvir Rathee and Punia, left abruptly, opting not to entertain any questions. Brij Bhushan, celebrating not far from the unfolding drama, responded to Malik’s retirement with a brief statement: “I have nothing to do with it.”

Anita Sheoran, the presidential candidate supported by the wrestlers, also lamented the results, deeming it a sorrowful day for women athletes in the country. She expressed, “It is a sad and unfortunate day for all women sportspersons. We fought the good fight, but the garlands went Brij Bhushan’s way. It is heartbreaking. We were assured by the government that there would be a woman WFI president, so I am sad that the government didn’t keep its word.“