On Wednesday, hundreds of young wrestlers gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to express their discontent over losing a crucial year of their careers.
The protest was targeted at wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia, who have been protesting against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) for an year.
The junior wrestlers protesting at Jantar Mantar blamed the 3 veteran wrestlers for ruining an year of their lives. They also chanted slogans against Malik, Phogat, and Punia during their protest.
The protesters were also carrying banners urging UWW (United World Wrestling), the body that governs world wrestling, to save Indian wrestling from Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia.
The 3 wrestlers, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia, have been protesting against WFI and its former chief Brij Bhushan Singh for an year. In between, Wrestling Federation of India has been suspended by the world wrestling body.
After removal of Brij Bhushan Sharma and the previous WFI officials, fresh elections were called for, but the newly elected body headed by Sanjay Singh was suspended by the sports ministry amidst the protests by the three wrestlers. Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from wrestling. While Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat returned their awards conferred upon them by government of India.
