Amid the ongoing talks to resolve wrestlers' issues, grappler Sakshi Malik on Saturday, June 11, said they would participate in the upcoming Asian Games this year only when the protests over sexual harassment allegations against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh — the sidelined president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and a BJP MP — are completely resolved. Talking to reporters in Sonipat, Malik said that no one understands what the wrestlers are going through mentally each passing day.
The 30-year-old wrestler reached Sonipat to attend a ‘mahapanchayat’ gathering to decide on the future course of action for wrestlers, who have been demanding the resignation and arrest of outgoing WFI president Brij Bhushan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment. "We will participate in Asian Games only when all these issues are resolved. You can't understand how mentally exhausting this is and what we are going through every day, " Sakshi said.
Sakshi's comments have come at a time when trials for the Asiad are scheduled to take place in the ongoing month of June. All the wrestlers, including those involved in the protest, need to compete at trials and earn their place in the India team for the Asian Games, which will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023.
Earlier on Wednesday, Sakshi along with Bajrang Punia and others had met Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur at his home and said that the government has asked for time till June 15 for the police investigation to complete. "The government has asked for time till June 15 for the police investigation to complete. It has agreed on most of our proposals related to wrestling. Now, we will keep these proposals in front of the farmers' unions, women's unions, our seniors and khap panchayats. So, we won't have any protest till June 15 but our movement against the WFI chief will continue," Sakshi had told IANS.
Pressure is being put on the protesting wrestlers to compromise, and it is under this pressure that the minor wrestler, who had levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh changed her statement, Sakshi Malik said. "There's huge pressure on us to compromise," Sakshi told a television channel, alleging that people close to Brij Bhushan have been calling and threatening them.