False certifications in the National Championships for Wrestling? Sakshee Malikkh criticizes Sanjay Singh, the suspended head of WFI.
Olympic medallist Sakshee Malikkh blasted banned Wrestling Federation of India president Sanjay Singh, claiming that wrestlers at the National Championships in Pune were receiving phony credentials.
Sakshee posted a picture of a wrestler receiving a “fake” certificate for winning a silver medal in a specific weight class on social media. According to the wrestler’s certificate, 2023 was his birth year.
Sakshee Malikhh also questioned how the senior national championships of the Wrestling Federation of India, which is currently banned, could be held in Pune, given that the Indian Olympics Association-appointed ad hoc committee had originally scheduled the championships for Jaipur in February.
Sakshee stated that the future of aspiring wrestlers was at jeopardy and requested Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to look into the matter.
“Sanjay Singh, a friend of Brij Bhushan, had his operations prohibited by the Indian government, but he continues to run the National Wrestling Championship as he pleases and gives players phony credentials, which is against the law.
Before the Sports Ministry’s planned wrestling national championship in Jaipur, Sanjay Singh is forging and distributing fake credentials of several national championships to demonstrate his supremacy in the sport, Sakshee Malikkh wrote in her article.
“How is it possible for an individual under suspension from the organization to embezzle its funds? The incompetent players will face consequences when they apply for jobs tomorrow with these certificates. However, the players are not at fault.
“Sanjay Singh should be held accountable right away for his fraudulent actions, as he continues to conduct fraudulent activities even after being prohibited from doing so.” I implore Shri Anurag Thakur ji, the Minister of Sports, to look into this matter and prevent the players’ futures from being ruined,” she continued.
SANJAY SINGH: ABLE TO MC NATALS?
Interestingly, the Union Sports Ministry had said that the WFI’s wrestling nationals would not be accepted. Subsequently, the ad-hoc committee, under the direction of Bhupendra Singh Bajwa, declared that a senior national championship will take place in Jaipur from February 2–5.
Sanjay Singh’s WFI side, however, was adamant about having the nationals come to Pune. He claimed that from January 29 to January 31, more than 700 wrestlers were anticipated to compete in the nationals.
Days after the WFI elections, the newly elected Wrestling Federation of India governing board and its head, Sanjay Singh, were suspended. In a sharply worded statement, the Sports Ministry attacked the newly elected board for being ruled by its former office holders.
Notably, prominent wrestlers challenged Sanjay Singh’s election, claiming he was close to previous WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is accused of sexually abusing female wrestlers. Sakshee Malikkh, Vinesh Phogat, and Bajrang Punia were among them.
