Rio Olympics Bronze, Commonwealth and Asian Games Gold medals winner Padma Shree Sakshi Malikkh quits wrestling forever, in protest

The prestigious bronze medal winning wrestler in 2016 Olympics, Padma Shree and Major Dhyan Chandra Khel Ratna Award recipient Sakshi Malikkh, an athlete of grit and determination who fought for several days at Jantar Mantar, Delhi protesting against the charges of sexual assault, mental and physical harrasment against the MP and former Chairman of Wrestling Federation of India Brijbhushan Sharan Singh leading to his ouster few months ago has today declared to give up wrestling in protest against the election of wrestler Sanjay Singh as the new WFI chairman, being the protege of the former chairman WFI and MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

In a press conference addressed today at Press Club of India – Sakshi Malikkh who brought laurels for the nation in Olympics, Commonwealth, Asian and national games by winning Olympics bronze and several golds n other medals in wrestling was seen literally weeping while coming down the Press Club auditorium after hearing the results declaring the former WFI chairman Brijbhushan Sharan Singh’s protege winning the presidential election of WFI securing forty votes defeating his nearest rival , Commonwealth Gold medalist Anita Sheoran who could secure only seven votes.

Demoralized Sakshi Mallikkh considered to be a true symbol of grit, determination and women empowerment raised her sports shoes up and announced her retirement from wrestling with tears rolling down her eyes in protest over the triumph of Sanjay Singh as WFI president considered to be the protege of Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, MP and former WFI chief for several years.

She said that had the women candidate won this election she would have stood for the rights of women wrestlers and fought for their rights and against their harrasment.

Ms Mallikkh one of the top women wrestlers of the country has apart from winning a bronze in Olympics has also won several medals in three Common wealth games including gold in Birmingham and four Asian championships Podium finishes to her name.

Sakshi Malikkh while announcing her retirement in tears thanked everyone for supporting her especially when she along with other wrestlers protested and slept on the ground for forty days.

She said if the business partner of former WFI president Brijbhushan Sharan Singh has been elected she quit’s wrestling in tears with several media persons and her colleagues requesting her to take her decision back.

On social media, platform posting her picture addressing the press conference at PCI Sakshi Malikkh wrote in Hindi : Whatever awards I have won, they are because of your blessings. I would be grateful to all countrymen. Good Bye Wrestling – wrote Sakshi on X while resigning from wrestling forever.

The former governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satyapal Malik while expressing his anguish over the decision of Sakshi Malik quitting wrestling wrote on social media, platform X in Hindi : Sakshi Malik is the only one woman wrestler who had won bronze medal in Olympics in Wrestling. It is really extremely anguishing for an Olympian wrestler to quit wrestling due to the prevailing apathetic system wrote former J& K governor on X.

Kindly recall that the WFI chief Sanjay Singh had been in the Executive Committee of WFI and joint secretary since 2019. He had also been the Vice President of Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Federation earlier being fully patronised by the six term MP from UP Brijbhushan Sharan Singh.