Wrestler Sakshi Malik slams media for silence over ‘Brij Bhushan’s black deeds’

Olympic wrestler Sakshi Malik accused the media on Tuesday of defaming wrestlers and failing to spotlight the alleged wrongdoings of former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Sakshi Malik said while she chose to engage with the media to share insights from her new book, the coverage has instead leaned toward sensational narratives that defame wrestlers.

“I chose to interact with the media to share information about my new book. I think the media acts as an amplifier in a democracy and women’s issues should be amplified through it. But I have been watching the news since this morning.

Women’s issues are missing and headlines are floating around defaming us wrestlers. There is no mention of Brij Bhushan’s black deeds in any news nor is there any mention of the struggle of women wrestlers,” said Sakshi Malik in a post on X (formerly Twitter) in Hindi.

Sakshi Malik condemned the lack of attention on critical women’s issues and stressed that the media should amplify their voices rather than perpetuate harmful narratives.

“Let alone printing what I said out of context, the things that I have not written in the book are also being published in the news quoting my book. Many times it seems that we are hungry for spices, no matter how much damage that spice is causing to a good purpose. Don’t play with facts in the race to create a narrative against women wrestlers. Now it seems that silence is the right way instead of the amplifier. How far is it permissible to turn a sensitive issue into a conspiracy theory?” Malik added in her post.

Sakshi Malik, a medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics, has revealed heart wrenching chapters of her career in her memoir, Witness. Recently retired from the sport, Malik made a shocking allegation against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment.

Sakshi Malik had claimed in her recent book that Star wrestler and Congress MLA Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia’s decision made their movement seem “selfish”.

Vinesh Phogat on Tuesday disagreed with Sakshi Malik’s view that her and Bajrang Punia’s decision to accept exemption from the Asian Games trials last year undermined their protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

“That is her personal opinion. I don’t agree with that. Unless I am weak, the fight cannot be weak. This is my belief. Till the time Sakshi, Vinesh and Bajrang are alive, the fight cannot be weak,” Vinesh told PTI Video.

“Those who want to win should never be weak. They should always choose to fight on the field. For that you will have to be tough and face the obstacles. And we are ready for fight,” she added.

In her autobiography, she recounts a troubling incident from the 2012 Asian Junior Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, where Singh allegedly attempted to sexually harass her in his hotel room.