Hundereds of junior wrestlers protest against Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia

New Delhi : On Wednesday, Jantar Mantar witnessed a gathering of hundreds of junior wrestlers, conveying their dissatisfaction over the significant setback in their careers. Bundled in buses the wrestlers from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab protesting against Olympians Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat. 

The wrestlers, coaches, and their families marched to Jantar Mantar, carrying placards and demanding the revocation of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) body, along with calls for U15 trials.

Security measures were heightened as the protestors voiced their concerns. Wrestlers expressed frustration over delayed trials and accused Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat of hindering the progress of junior wrestlers. The protesters argued that the suspension of the WFI body affected over 200 wrestlers, jeopardizing their careers.

Vivek Malik, Coach at Aryasamaj Akhada Chaprauli in Baghpat district, expressed concerns over the suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) body. Having coached around 150 wrestlers in Baghpat, Malik criticized the Ad hoc committee's decision to directly send wrestlers to Nationals without trials, bypassing the usual district and state-level tournaments.

Malik questioned the fairness of this approach, emphasizing that a well-established process had always been in place for qualifying for Nationals. He accused Olympians Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia, and Vinesh Phogat of engaging in politics and claimed they were jeopardizing the careers of young wrestlers with the support of opposition leaders.

Malik challenged Sakshi Malik's statement about Sanjay Singh being related to Brij Bhushan, stating that she speaks without facts. He questioned why concerns about the president candidate didn't surface before the WFI elections and why the matter is being raised now. Malik stressed the need for transparency and urged resolution to prevent further disruption in wrestling administration.

Varun, a wrestler, emphasized the urgency of conducting trials and criticized the Olympians for alleged political interference. Coach Vivek Malik raised concerns about the suspension affecting wrestlers' participation in Nationals without proper trials.

Dharmendra Khokar and SP Tomar, along with Gaurav Tomar from Budhpur Gaon, Baghpat, highlighted their struggles as wrestlers without influential backing. They vowed to sit at Jantar Mantar until their demands, including dissolving the Ad hoc committee and revoking the WFI body's suspension, are addressed. The protestors also aimed to seek support from Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to resolve the ongoing issues in wrestling administration.

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

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