Sakshi Malik responds to wrestlers' protest against them: 'Only I know what I have gone through'

Sakshi Malik on Wednesday insisted that she has no issues with newly-elected Wrestling Federation of India if Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh-loyalist Sanjay Singh is kept away from body.

Malik h announced her retirement from sport on December 21 in protest against election of Sanjay Singh as WFI President.

2016 Rio Olympic Games bronze medallist also claimed that her mor has been receiving threat calls from former WFI chief Brij Bhushan's supporters.

Malik, 31, said y will accept a WFI without Sanjay Singh but ruled out her own involvement in running of federation.

"We don't have any issues with new federation except one man, Sanjay Singh. We don't have any issue if new body comes back without Sanjay Singh. We do not have any issue with -hoc committee as well," Malik told reporters.

" government is like parents for us and I would request m to make wrestling safe for upcoming wrestlers. You have seen how Sanjay Singh has been behaving. I don't want Sanjay Singh's interference in federation," she ded.

"I can only make a request. If ministry says he won't come back it will be better. Everybody saw kind of power abuse by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh after WFI elections. He announced junior nationals at his home without much deliberation." Sanjay Singh h defeated 2010 CWG gold medallist Anita Sheoran by a huge 40-7 margin.

Prem Chand Lochab, who was from Sheoran panel and h backing of Malik, Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, was elected secretary general.

Sakshi also requested -hoc panel to conduct age group nationals at earliest.

"I don't want that any young wrestler suffers because of us. -hoc committee has alrey announced senior nationals and I request -hoc committee to announce U15, U17 and U20 nationals." Interestingly, hundreds of junior wrestlers on Wednesday assembled at Jantar Mantar to protest against Malik, Phogat and Punia, who y blamed for mess in Indian wrestling.

Malik n revealed that her family is getting threats.

"For past two-three days, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's goons have become active. My mor is getting threats through phone calls. People are calling and saying that a case will be registered against someone in my family.

"People on social media are abusing us but y should remember that y have sisters and daughters at ir home." Asked if she would consider becoming a sports ministrator, Malik replied in a negative.

"I am disturbed. We just want that junior wrestlers to not suffer. As of now I don't have it in my mind.

"We are being blamed for junior wrestlers' loss and that's incorrect. If women are involved in running of sport, that will be good," she said.

When informed about junior wrestlers' protest against m at Jantar Mantar, Malik said, "I have given 18-20 years to wrestling. Only I know what I have gone through in last few months."