Olympic gold medallist boxer and Congress leader Vijender Singh expressed deep concern over the recent retirement of wrestler Sakshi Malik, calling it a "black day" in sports history. Malik's decision followed the election of Sanjay Singh, a close associate of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) head Brij Bhushan Singh, who faced sexual harassment accusations.
Vijender Singh, addressing the media alongside Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala in New Delhi, voiced the sports industry's distress. He pledged to advocate for women's safety, athletes' employment, and stand in solidarity with the affected athletes. Singh criticized the lack of justice for Malik, the lone female wrestling medalist, and questioned the silence of top political figures.
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Singh highlighted the silence of athletes, attributing it to fear of reprisals, especially from BJP-ruled states. He asserted that athletes, often hailing from lower-middle-class families, fear being slapped with a "code of conduct misdemeanour," preventing their participation in competitions.
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Surjewala underscored the BJP's silence on Malik's retirement and emphasized a concerning trend of "fear and force" in India. He urged PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to address the issue, expressing concern about the influence of politicians in sports federations and the need for justice for India's daughters in the sporting realm.
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