Wrestler Sakshi Malik, who has been part of the demonstration against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over charges of sexual harassment, declared today that wrestlers who are engaged in the protest will only compete in the upcoming Asian Games if their issues are resolved.
She stated, “We will participate in Asian Games only when all these issues are resolved. You can’t understand how mentally exhausting this is and what we are going through every day.” She arrived in Sonipat to take part in the Mahapanchayat to determine the future course of action for wrestlers who have been clamouring for the WFI head’s resignation following allegations of sexual harassment.
#WATCH | "We will participate in Asian Games only when all these issues will be resolved. You can't understand what we're going through mentally each day": Wrestler Sakshee Malikkh in Sonipat pic.twitter.com/yozpRnYQG9
— ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2023
According to the wrestler, there is pressure on the wrestlers to make a concession, and that is why the minor grappler who accused the WFI chief and Bharatiya Janata Party MP of sexual harassment changed her statement. She alleged that due to the pressure exerted on him to drop the case, the father of the girl is depressed.
“Some things were said out of anger in that, some of them are true and some things were wrongly said. Brij Bhushan is right at his place but the anger was there and out of anger some false things were said. I have again given my statement and the things which were wrongly stated, I have corrected them,” the complainant had mentioned.
“There’s huge pressure on us to compromise,” She commented on a television channel. She charged that the individuals close to Brij Bhushan are dialling and threatening them.
Her remarks coincide with the month-long Asiad trials that are now set to take place. The Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023. All wrestlers, including those involved in the protest, must participate in the trials to secure a spot on the India squad.
Bajrang Punia remarked earlier this morning that they would present their conversations with the government to the Mahapanchayat delegates. “Whatever talks we had with the government, we will discuss that with the people who are supporting and standing with us.”
Anurag Thakur, the Union Sports Minister, who recently hosted the wrestlers for a second meeting at his residence, on Thursday expressed that the discussions with the protesting wrestlers were fruitful and that decisions had been made over a number of issues.
The former listed out their five demands including, the appointment of a woman as WFI supremo, no one related to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh should be included in the organisation, cases filed against wrestlers to be withdrawn, impartial WFI election and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh should be arrested, after coming out of the meeting.
The wrestlers have been protesting for over a month now. They started their agitation in January but retracted after assurance from Anurag Thakur before returning to Jantar Mantar in April. The centre even constituted a five-member oversight committee under the chairmanship of Olympic medallist boxer M. C. Mary Kom to look into the matter.
