The premature retirement of champion woman wrestler Sakshi Malik has brought to the forefront the deplorable state of affairs within the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). It also sent out completely wrong signals to the international community about sports administration in India, especially at a time when India wants to bid for the chance to hold Olympic Games in the future.
Sakshi Malik who had won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in 2016 was in tears as she announced her retirement after a group won the WFI elections that were backed by her tormentor Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The latter who is a member of parliament from the BJP party, had been the President of the WFI. He had been accused of sexual harassment by several of India’s top women wrestlers including Sakshi Malik.
Despite a long period of dharna and protests by the victimised wrestlers, no action was taken against the BJP parliamentarian who was left free to influence the WFI elections and ensure that his henchmen came to power. Celebrations and fire crackers at Brij Bhushan’s house followed the victory after the polls. It became clear to every onlooker that he will continue to pull the strings from behind the scenes hereafter.
Said a well-known woman wrestler, Vinesh Phogat who hails from the famous Phogat family of wrestlers. Referring to the newly elected President Sanjay Singh, she said: “He is Brij Bhushan’s right hand man. He means more to Brij Bhushan than anyone else. Now that he has become the president, the next batch of women wrestlers will also suffer. They too will fall prey to their nefarious designs.”
Well known boxer Vijender Singh spoke out in support of the women wrestlers. “Sakshi’s retirement raises a lot of questions about the democratic process in the WFI. We will go to every stadium and every akhada to inform athletes about the injustice,” he said.
An extremely painful sight
The sight of Sakshi Malik weeping was an extremely painful one for all those who love sports. Her male teammate Bajrang Punia who has four world championship medals and an Olympic Games bronze medal to his name, tried to console her. He had wholeheartedly supported the women throughout their struggle.
Sakshi Malik is the only woman wrestler who has won a medal for India at the Olympic Games and this is the treatment that she received. Her cry for justice went unheeded because of the political connection that her oppressor possessed.
A wrong message
The entire unsavoury episode is bound to have far reaching ramifications that the short sighted politicians have failed to visualise. Brij Bhushan may have achieved his immediate goal but what message does the incident send to the international wrestling community? The implication is that in India power hungry politicians rule the roost and champion athletes can be trodden underfoot with impunity.
In these days of internet usage and instant news dissemination, black deeds cannot be brushed under the carpet and ignored any more. In the month of October 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had grandly announced that India will make a bid to host the Olympic Games in 2036. He said that India will leave no stone unturned and that hosting the Olympics is the dream of 140 crore Indians.
But if this is the image that India’s sports administrators are going to create then we can say goodbye to our chances of hosting the Games. The Prime Minister must realize that a lot of house cleaning needs to be done before we can call international guests to our country for an event as important as the Olympics.
If action needs to be taken against wrongdoers then it must be done regardless of whether the erring person is from the ruling party or not. Then only, with a clean image, can we approach the community of international sportspersons and ask them to come to our country for the greatest sports show on earth.
If any international sportsperson faces the same harassment that our women wrestlers faced, then India’s name will be tarnished forever. An unwillingness to act against those powerful politicians who want to control sports and victimize sportswomen, will lead to India’s downfall.
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