Sanjay Singh, considered a close aide of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, has been elected as the new president of Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The polls, which took place on Thursday, witnessed Singh’s panel securing a majority of posts, thereby consolidating control over the sports body that was rocked by allegations of sexual harassment by women wrestlers.
Expressing disappointment at Sanjay Singh’s appointment, Olympic medalist Sakshi Malik on Thursday announced her retirement from wrestling.
Also Read: Wrestling row: Brij Bhushan says ‘dharna jeevis’ responsible for WFI suspension, Vinesh Phogat hits back
VIDEO | “We gathered a lot of courage for this fight against the WFI President (Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh). But today, his right hand (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… pic.twitter.com/UMwOMRnnNI
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 21, 2023
“It’s unfortunate that such people are getting elected to such positions in the country. Now, girls will be harassed again. It’s sad that even after fighting against it, we couldn’t bring any changes. I don’t know how to get justice in our own country,” wrestler Sangeeta Phogat said addressing the media.
Hailing from Varanasi and serving as the UP Wrestling Association vice president, Singh garnered a substantial 40 votes, overshadowing his opponent Anita Sheoran, who managed only seven votes. The outcome was widely anticipated, as the opposing faction lacked the requisite support.
Singh, closely associated with former WFI chief Brij Bhushan, commented, “Jinko kushti karni hai woh kushti karein. Jinko rajneeti karni hain woh rajneeti karein” (Wrestlers who want to compete should wrestle, those inclined towards politics should engage in politics). He stressed the triumph for the countless wrestlers who endured challenges in the preceding months.
Also Read: Brij Bhushan outraged modesty of women wrestlers whenever, wherever he got opportunity, Delhi Police tells court
While Sheoran’s panel faced setbacks, they did secure the key post of the secretary general position. Prem Chand Lochab, a former RSPB secretary, won over Darshan Lal with a vote count of 27-19.
Devender Singh Kadian, associated with national highway food outlets and aligned with protesting wrestlers, claimed the senior vice president’s post by defeating I D Nanavati with a vote tally of 32-15.
The Brij Bhushan camp dominated the vice president positions, with Jai Prakash (Delhi), Asit Kumar Saha (West Bengal), Kartar Singh (Punjab), and N Phoni (Manipur) securing victories. Notably, Madhya Pradesh’s Mohan Yadav, absent during the polls, received only five votes for the vice president post.
Satyapal Singh Deshwal, representing Uttarakhand within the Brij Bhushan camp, emerged as the new treasurer, defeating Dushyant Sharma from Jammu and Kashmir with a resounding 34-12 margin. The entire executive committee, including the five members, aligns with the outgoing chief’s camp.
Despite previous allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan, the election outcome suggests minimal change in the landscape of Indian wrestling. The protesting wrestlers, who accused Bhushan, officially concluded their protest on June 7 following assurances from Sports Minister Anurag Thakur regarding the exclusion of Bhushan’s family members and close associates from the election process.
The successful election of the new executive council is poised to lead to the lifting of the UWW ban on WFI. The delay in conducting elections had prompted the world governing body to impose a ban, compelling Indian wrestlers to participate as neutral athletes in the 2023 world championships.