Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia slam suspended WFI for organising Nationals, 'distributing fake certificates'

Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia have slammed suspended Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) president Sanjay Singh for organising wrestling Nationals and “distributing fake certificates”. The WFI was suspended immediately after Sanjay Singh, a close aide of former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, won the elections. The Sports Ministry while suspending WFI had said that the federation violated the National Sports Code and seemed to be in control of ex-office bearers.

BJP MP from Kaiserganj Brij Bhushan has been accused of sexual harassment by many top female wrestlers.

Despite the suspension of WFI, Sanjay Singh is organising the nationals in Pune from 29-21 January, while the Indian Olympic Association’s (IOA) ad-hoc committee which is running the WFI has called for nationals from 2 February.

Sakshi on X (formerly Twitter) accused Sanjay Singh of distributing fake certificates to wrestlers which could put them in trouble in future when they use it to get government jobs. The 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist also urged the Sports Minister Anurag Thakur to look into the matter.

“The Government of India had suspended the activities of Brij Bhushan’s associate Sanjay Singh, yet Sanjay Singh is running the National Wrestling Championship as per his wish and is distributing fake certificates to the players, which is illegal,” she wrote.

“The Wrestling National Championship organized by the Sports Ministry is to be held in Jaipur, but before that, to prove his dominance over wrestling, Sanjay Singh is illegally signing and distributing certificates of different National Championships. How can a suspended person of the organization misuse the money of the organization?”

भारत सरकार ने बृजभूषण के साथी संजय सिंह की गतिविधियों को सस्पेंड कर दिया था उसके बावजूद संजय सिंह अपनी मनमर्ज़ी चला नेशनल रेसलिंग चैंपियनशिप करवा रहा है और खिलाड़ियों को फ़र्ज़ी सर्टिफिकेट बाँट रहा है जोकि ग़ैर क़ानूनी है. खेल मंत्रालय द्वारा आयोजित रेसलिंग नेशनल चैंपियनशिप जयपुर… pic.twitter.com/Hx6N3awyml

— Sakshee Malikkh (@SakshiMalik) January 30, 2024

“Tomorrow when the players go to ask for jobs with these certificates, action will be taken against the poor players. Whereas there is no fault of the players. Action should be taken immediately against Sanjay Singh who is committing such fraud and who is still committing all these frauds despite the ban on his activities. I appeal to the Sports Minister Shri Anurag Thakur ji to look into this issue and save the future of the players from getting spoiled,” Malik added.

Malik also attached a picture of a certificate in her post which was apparently awarded the nationals run by suspended WFI.

Bajrang Punia also reacted to Malik’s X post and wrote that Sanjay Singh was committing a big fraud.

“Wrestling is controlled by such noble people who are not able to fill out the certificates of the players properly even after conducting fake nationals. See what date of birth was written and Sanjay Singh even signed the same certificate,” he wrote.

“Those whose activities have been banned are conducting national championships. What a big fraud is going on. I request the Sports Minister to take cognizance of these illegal activities and take appropriate action.”

कुश्ती पर ऐसे महानुभावों का क़ब्ज़ा है जो फ़र्ज़ी नेशनल करवाकर भी खिलाड़ियों के सर्टिफिकेट तक सही से नहीं भर पाते. डेट ऑफ बर्थ देखिए क्या लिख रखी और संजय सिंह ने इसी सर्टिफिकेट पर साइन तक कर रखे.
जिनकी गतिविधियों पर रोक लगा रखी है वे नेशनल चैंपियनशिप करवा रहे. कितना बड़ा… https://t.co/Cepw29ZJFN

— Bajrang Punia