Brij Bhushan's aide elected as Wrestling Federation of India president
Sanjay Singh, a trusted associate of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has been elected as the new WFI president. The election took place on Thursday in New Delhi, after multiple delays earlier this year. This development could lead to United World Wrestling (UWW) lifting the suspension it imposed on WFI for not holding elections within the August deadline.
Singh defeats Anita Sheoran in presidential race
In the contest for WFI's top position, Singh defeated former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Anita Sheoran. Sheoran, who is from Haryana and contested from Odisha, aimed to become the first female president of the national wrestling body. She had the support of prominent wrestlers like Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat, who protested against Singh over allegations of sexual harassment and stalking female wrestlers.
Wrestlers' protests against former WFI chief
The protests started on January 18, when wrestlers gathered at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, openly accusing Singh of sexual exploitation and intimidation. The athletes' outcry was not only about seeking justice for themselves but also about creating a safer environment for future wrestlers. They demanded free and fair WFI elections and insisted that neither Singh nor his family members should be involved with the federation. The wrestlers called off their protests in June after the Sports Ministry promised action.
Sanjay secured 40 out of 47 votes
Sanjay secured 40 out of 47 votes in the election. Previously, he served as vice president of the Uttar Pradesh wrestling body and was part of WFI's last executive council and its joint secretary since 2019. A close aide of Singh, Sanjay pledged to restore wrestling's glory days, a sport that has produced multiple Olympic medalists for India. Celebrating the win, Singh called it a "very big victory of truth over lies."
Malik announces retirement after WFI election result
Shortly after the announcement of the WFI election result, wrestler Malik announced she was quitting the sport. "In the end, we slept for 40 days on the roads but I'd like to thank the several people of our country who came to support us during the protests earlier this year. If Brij Bhushan Singh's business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I quit wrestling," Malik told the media in a press conference on Thursday.
