Sakshi Malik: 'Please have faith in me, I deserve a better treatment'

Rio Olympic bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, feels "low & utterly disappointed" at being 'dropped' from list of SAI's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).

"I have won a medal for country in last Olympics. I am 27 t so old... and I am striving to qualify for Tokyo Olympics which is just 9 months away. And you drop me from TOP Scheme. I am really disappointed and feel dejected. You cant judge me by my one failure in World Championship (held in Kazakhstan last month)," 

Sports Authority of India came out with its new list on Friday, which "did t continue" with Sakshi as a TOP scheme beneficiary and h preferred to include new faces (young wrestlers).

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'Gross injustice'

Her husband Satyawart Kiyan, 2014 CWG silver medallist in 97 kg category, feels that "gross injustice" was meted out to Sakshi. "Yeh sahi nahi kiya. SAI ke logo ko samanjhna chahiye thha. Yeh Olympic medalist hai. Commonwealth & Asian Games nahi... (It's t fair. SAI hasn't done right thing with her. She is an Olympic medallist, t a CWG or Asian Games medallist)," he observed.

Satyawart said a little more respect and faith was expected from authorities. "Sakshi pe bharosa hona chahiye thha. Bi wrestler hai. Phir se medal dilayegi. (y should have shown some faith in Sakshi. She will again bring medal)," he ded.

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Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh also felt b at new development. "I feel for Sakshi. She has been re. She still has a chance to qualify and prove her detractors wrong."

Sakshi lost in first round of World Wrestling Championship and failed to qualify for Olympics but she still has two chances or qualifying tournaments in next four months.

Sources in SAI said sports body just follow strict rules. "It's t end of ro for Sakshi. We can always include her once she qualifies for Olympics," he ded.

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