NEW DELHI: Olympic wrestler Sakshi Malik claimed that fellow wrestler Babita Phogat organized the recent protests against Brij Bhushan Singh with the intention of positioning herself as the next president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Malik revealed that Phogat convened a meeting with several wrestlers to incite action against Singh, who has been embroiled in allegations of sexual misconduct.
“Phogat approached us with the idea of protesting against Brij Bhushan Singh because she had her own agenda — she wanted to become the WFI president,” Malik asserted. This revelation comes amidst ongoing tensions within the wrestling community, which has seen wrestlers demanding accountability and a thorough investigation into Singh’s alleged misconduct, including claims of molestation.
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Malik clarified that while the protest was initiated at Phogat’s suggestion, it was not solely driven by her. “We knew that there were major problems in the federation, like sexual harassment and molestation, but it’s not like we mindlessly followed her,” she explained. The wrestlers had hoped that having a female athlete in leadership would foster a more sympathetic approach to their struggles.
Despite initially supporting Phogat’s involvement, Malik expressed disappointment, stating, “We thought she would sit with us in the protest and raise her voice against the wrongdoing as a fellow wrestler.” Instead, she felt Phogat had ulterior motives.
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Malik also took aim at Singh’s dismissive remarks about the protesting wrestlers, who he claimed were “finished.” She countered his assertions by highlighting Vinesh Phogat’s recent achievements, stating, “Who would have permitted Vinesh Phogat to compete in the Olympics if the protests had actually stopped?” This pointed out the resilience of the wrestling community despite the ongoing turmoil.
Interestingly, Malik denied rumors of Congress backing their protest, revealing that support came from two BJP leaders, including Phogat herself and Tirath Rana, who helped secure permission for the demonstrations in Haryana.