Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia accuse WFI of using devious means to get suspension lifted, threaten fresh protest
Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia on Wednesday alleged that national federation chief Sanjay Singh used devious means to get the suspension on WFI lifted by United World Wrestling (UWW) and threatened to restart their agitation against the body. The UWW on Tuesday lifted the provisional suspension on India but directed the national federation to provide written guarantees that there would be no discriminatory action against the protesting trio of Punia, Malik and Vinesh Phogat.
The suspension was imposed by UWW in August last year after the WFI failed to hold elections in time.
Punia, Malik and Phogat have been protesting for more than a year, demanding the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing women grapplers.
«We came to know yesterday that Sanjay Singh had done some setting with UWW to get the suspension lifted. Brij Bhushan and Sanjay Singh have left no stone unturned to show that they are above the law,» said Sakshi in a video posted on 'X'.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, when asked about the latest developments on the sidelines of the Chess Olympiad Torch hand-off ceremony here, said, «We will let you know what we will do.»
Sakshi stressed that if the BJP MP's loyalists are allowed to run the affairs of the WFI, the protesting wrestlers will be left with no choice but to restart the agitation.
«Our protest has only been suspended. I might have retired from wrestling but I not will tolerate Brij Bhushan or his people running the federation and harassing women,»
