Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik quits wrestling after Brij Bhushan loyalist becomes WFI chief
New Delhi, Dec 21: Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik on Thursday announced her retirement from the sport, protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh winning the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election for the top job, here.
Sanjay, a close associate of outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan became the new WFI president with his panel winning 13 of the 15 posts in the elections here on Thursday.
"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 quit wrestling," said a teary-eyed Sakshi, and kept her shoes on the table in a dramatic announcement.
"We wanted a female president but that did not happen," the 31-year-old, who is also a CWG gold medallist, added.
Ahead of the elections, Oylmpic medal winning grapplers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi had repeatedly requested Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to stop anyone associated with Brij Bhushan from contesting the WFI polls.
Consequently, neither Brij Bhushan's son Prateek nor son-in-law Vishal Singh entered the fray.
Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat, who addressed media after elections, did not say whether they will retire from the sport.
"It's unfortunate that government did not stand by its word that no Brij Bhushan loyalist will contest WFI election," Bajrang said.
"Upcoming women wrestlers will also face exploitation," Vinesh added.
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Rohit Sharma, Ritika Sajdeh welcome baby boy
Mumbai: India cricket captain Rohit Sharma and his wife Ritika Sajdeh have been blessed with a baby boy, according to sources. Social media reports from fans shared the news on Friday night, which has now been confirmed. The couple, already parents to five-year-old daughter Samaira, are yet to make an official announcement or disclose details about the birth.
Rohit had stayed back in India and did not travel to Perth with the Indian team for the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, set to begin on November 22. This sparked speculation about his availability for the initial matches.
During a pre-departure press conference, head coach Gautam Gambhir stated, “At the moment, there’s no confirmation. Hopefully, he will be available. We’ll let you know.” If Rohit misses the first match, vice-captain Jasprit Bumrah is expected to take over as captain.
Rohit’s absence also raises the question of who will open the batting, with Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul being potential candidates already in Australia.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series opener is highly anticipated, with fans eager to see how the Indian team adjusts to these developments.
