Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh to return Padma Shri award over WFI president's election

After Bajrang Punia, Deaflympics gold medallist Virender Singh, better known as ‘Goonga Pahalwan’, will also be returning his Padma Shri award in protest over Sanjay Singh winning Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) presidential elections. Singh is a close aide and vocal advocate of the outgoing chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Throwing his weight behind 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist Sakshi Malik, who announced her retirement from the sport soon after Singh’s victory, Virender said he would return the honour as a mark of protest against the election of Brij Bhushan’s close aide.

Punia, one of the prominent faces of the protest against Brij Bhushan, had returned his Padma Shri on Friday.

मैं भी अपनी बहन और देश की बेटी के लिए पदम् श्री लौटा दूँगा, माननीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी को, मुझे गर्व है आपकी बेटी और अपनी बहन @SakshiMalik पर… जी क्यों…?

पर देश के सबसे उच्च खिलाड़ियों से भी अनुरोध करूँगा वो भी अपना निर्णय दे…@sachin_rt @Neeraj_chopra1 pic.twitter.com/MfVeYdqnkL

— Virender Singh (@GoongaPahalwan) December 22, 2023

“I will also return the Padma Shri for my sister and the country’s daughter. Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, I am proud of your daughter and my sister Sakshi Malikkh,” Virender wrote on X.

The grappler also urged sports personalities such as cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Neeraj Chopra to give their opinion on the issue.

“I would also request the top players of the country to also give their decision,” Virender, wrote, tagging Tendulkar and javelin thrower Chopra.

Virender had received the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth highest civilian award, in 2021. Before that, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 2015.

Sanjay was elected as the president of the WFI on Thursday after the panel led by him won 13 of the 15 posts.

In the run up to the elections, Sakshi, Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat had demanded that no close associate of Brij Bhushan should enter the WFI.

The trio have accused Brij Bhushan of sexually exploiting several female wrestlers including minors. They had even contemplated throwing away their medals into the Ganga river on 30 May in Haridwar but were convinced to reconsider by farmer leaders.