Wrestlers’ protest: ’Didn’t ask for exemption from trials, just asked for time to prepare’, says Sakshi Malik

After facing opposition from fellow wrestlers for receiving an exemption from Asian Games trials, protesting wrestlers on 24 June denied demanding such favor from IOA and said they will quit wrestling if it is proved.

Earlier on Friday, London Olympic bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt questioned if these grapplers were agitating to get such favors and exhorted the junior wrestlers, their coaches, and parents to raise their voices against this injustice.

"We did not ask for an exemption from trials, just asked for time to prepare," said Sakshi after going live on social media.

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"If you had problems with the one-bout trial, you should have gone to the sports minister. But you chose to spread poison through social media," Bajrang said.

"We are ready to quit wrestling if it is proved that we asked for an exemption. We never wrote any letter for exemption."

As per details, six protesting wrestlers -- the trio, Bajrang's wife Sangeeta Phogat, Sakshi's husband Satywart Kadian, and Jitender Kinha -- will have to win just one bout against the winner of stage-one trials to be on the Indian team for the Asian Games and World Championships.

Meanwhile, the wrestlers also vowed to continue their fight.

"We will continue our fight till Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is punished, we are waiting for chargesheet," Vinesh said.

Hitting out at Dutt, Vinesh Phogat on Friday said the wrestling world will remember Yogeshwar Dutt for being a spineless lackey of outgoing WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. 

Sakshi, Bajrang, and Vinesh Phogat have been demanding the arrest of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually harassing women wrestlers.

With PTI inputs.