Sakshi Mallik and Sanjay Singh.
Credit: PTI Photos
Sanjay Singh, a close aide of BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh, was on Thursday elected as the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The development left women wrestlers deeply disappointed who felt let down by the system after holding prolonged protest against outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan, accusing him of sexual harassment of multiple women wrestlers, including juniors, overtime.
Sanjay Singh defeated former Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Anita Sheoran, a witness in the sexual harassment case against Bhushan, with a significant margin of 40-7 in the elections held on December 21 at the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) headquarters in Delhi.
“We fought from our heart but if a man like Brij Bhushan, his business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I give up wrestling,” Sakshi Malik, the only woman wrestler to bring an Olympic medal home, said post results, as she announced her retirement from the sport.
The elections have paved the way for Bhushan, who was honoured with garlands post results, to hold indirect control over the sports body. The Brij Bhushan camp secured all four Vice President positions, with Jai Prakash from Delhi (37), Asit Kumar Saha from West Bengal (42), Kartar Singh from Punjab (44), and N Phoni from Manipur (38) winning the elections.
Who is Sanjay Singh?
Sanjay Singh, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is originally from Varanasi. He has a close association with Brij Bhushan and has previously served on the executive council of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Since 2019, he has held the position of joint secretary in the national federation, as reported by PTI.
Additionally, Sanjay Singh is currently the Vice President of the Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association.
After winning the WFI elections, he expressed his plans to organise national camps for wrestling. "...National Camps (for wrestling) will be organised. Wrestlers who want to do politics can do politics, those who want to do wrestling will do wrestling....," he said.
Sanjay Singh, also known as 'Bablu' in the wrestling community, hails from Jhansi village in Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh. Coming from a business family, he shared that his father, Nand Lal Singh, used to organise wrestling events in their village, which sparked his interest in the sport. He is a law graduate from Banaras Hindu University.
Prior to his association with the national federation, he was actively involved in local wrestling competitions. He first joined the federation as an executive member, by winning elections in 2011 and eight years later became the joint secretary. He also serves as the President of the Varanasi district Kushti Sangh.
Minister’s promise unkept
Despite the strong efforts of Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik to bring about a change in leadership within the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), a close associate of the BJP MP has now assumed control.
The wrestlers had previously ended their protest on June 7 after receiving assurances from Sports Minister Anurag Thakur that no family members or close associates of Brij Bhushan would be allowed to participate in the WFI elections.
"It's unfortunate that such people are getting elected to such positions in the country. Now, girls will be harassed again... I don't know how to get justice in our own country," Sangeeta Phogat said.
Brij Bhushan, on the other hand, replied by saying, “A message has been given. Every akhaada in the country is bursting with firecrackers. Dabdabaa tha, dabdabaa rahega! (the dominance over federation shall continue).”
The United World Wrestling (UWW), the global wrestling body which had suspended the Indian wrestling federation in August for delay in holding the elections, is yet to comment on the development.