Brij Bhushan panel wins polls in blow to wrestlers

A key aide of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was crowned the new president of the body on Thursday after winning the election in a landslide victory, highlighting that sexual harassment charges levelled by some of India's top athletes against him had barely loosened Brij Bhushan's grip over the sport.

- Shantanu Srivastava

Sanjay Kumar Singh, the vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh Wrestling Association, was elected the WFI boss 40-7, defeating 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anita Sheoran, who was backed by Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia, Rio Games bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, and double World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat who led a months-long protest against the former federation head.

"A message has been given. Every akhaada in the country is bursting firecrackers. Dabdabaa tha, dabdabaa rahega (dominance was there, it is there to stay)" said Brij Bhushan, a BJP MP from Kaiserganj, as hundreds of supporters burst crackers, distributed sweets and offered him garlands.

Hours later, the wrestlers held an emotional press conference where they expressed disappointment at the outcome. "We fought from our heart, but if a man like Brij Bhushan, his business partner and a close aide is elected the president of WFI, I give up wrestling. From today onwards you will not see me on the mat," said a teary-eyed Malik as she kept her shoes on the table and announced her retirement.

The anticlimactic elections mark the end of a tumultuous year of Indian wrestling that began on November 18 last year, when the champion athletes first levelled allegations of abuse and sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan. Earlier this year, they camped at a protest site in Jantar Mantar for 38 days demanding his arrest until Delhi Police stopped a planned march to the new Parliament, manhandled them, and detained them. The the athletes also met Union home minister Amit Shah and youth and sports affair minister Anurag Thakur.