Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia pay visit to Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur ahead of WFI election

Prominent Indian wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia recently, paid a visit to Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to put forward their demands ahead of the upcoming Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election.

After much delay, the WFI election will take place on December 21, with the results being declared on the same day. During their visit, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia requested Anurag Thakur to not let anyone associated with Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh hold the position of WFI chief.

The Wrestling Federation of India elections were supposed to be held in August. However, the Punjab and Haryana High Court put them on hold due to the protest held by the likes of Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phoghat. The protest was organized in the light of sexual harassment allegations made against the then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Singh.

The Supreme Court of India has now set aside the stay, which means that a new president of WFI will soon be elected.

“As the dates of the elections for the WFI have been announced, we met him regarding that. We stopped our protests after listening to the Govt but now it is the time of the Govt to fulfill their promise that no one related to Brij Bhushan Singh should get a post in the federation. Anurag Thakur said that the govt will keep their promises and we hope the same,” Malik told PTI on Monday.

“Yes, we met with the sports minister today and reminded him of his promise that no one related to Brij Bhushan should contest the WFI elections,” Bajrang told PTI.

"Sanjay Singh is Brij Bhushan Singh's close associate" - Bajrang Punia

If reports are to be believed, Sanjay Singh, who is a Brij Bhushan loyalist, is in the running for holding the position and concerns have been raised for the same.

“Sanjay Singh is his close associate and he should withdraw from the elections or otherwise we will decide our future course of action soon. We told that to the minister,” said Bajrang.

Meanwhile, Brij Bhushan, who is, currently the president of the Uttar Pradesh wrestling body, is barred from contesting the elections. His son Karan and son-in-law Vishal Singh won’t contest the elections either.