'Change happens gradually, but I'm ready to help,' says Sakshi Malik on joining WFI

New Delhi: Rio 2016 Olympics bronze medal-winning wrestler Sakshi Malik expressed interest in joining the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) in some capacity, highlighting that her personal experiences and deep understanding of the struggles athletes face make her well-suited to help bring about meaningful change.

Her statement comes after a tumultuous year in Indian wrestling. In January 2023, Sakshi, along with fellow wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, demanding the resignation of WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over allegations of sexual harassment.

"Why not, If given a chance in the future to join WFI, why would not I join? I don't think anyone else knows wrestling better than me. We keep talking about having a better federation. If I had joined WFI straight after the protest, many would have told me that she did all this for politics, but it's not like that," Sakshi told IANS.

While the protest led to some changes, including Brij Bhushan stepping down from his role, Sakshi acknowledges that the process of reform is far from over. She remains committed to ensuring that young athletes don’t face the same obstacles she encountered.

"Change happens gradually, and it’s impossible to expect it all at once. But if I were given the opportunity to be involved, I’d want to help. I know the struggles, the ups and downs, better than anyone. If I’m given the chance to work, I would absolutely take it," Sakshi said.

In her recently released book, 'Witness', Sakshi detailed her wrestling journey, including the personal hardships she faced as an athlete, particularly during the early stages of her career. Reflecting on the struggles of being a woman in a male-dominated environment, she recounted how, in 2012, she endured harassment but felt she had no choice but to stay silent.

"Earlier, there were so many approaches that made us feel hungry for success. I was an active athlete, a wrestler, so I didn't have much time. I wanted to write a book for a long time, especially after the Olympics. I wanted my story to be told. I wanted it to inspire and inform many girls because of my struggles. I wanted everyone to know.

"After the protests, I decided this, and after a few days, I started hearing things about seniors. People said things like, 'This is the man,' and 'He's like that.' In 2012, I had an accident, and it hit me hard. I already knew things weren’t right and there was tension. When someone tried to harass me, I knew how difficult it was to tell anyone, that time was really difficult for me.

"If I had raised my voice at that time, I wouldn’t be sitting here as an Olympic medallist today. My career would have ended right there. So, I thought it was better to stay quiet and continue without paying attention to that... The next 3-4 years were tough because training among those same people, competing in trials, and then going for international competitions was challenging.

"It was all very difficult, and that’s why I decided that I needed to fight for this. The things I faced, the struggles I went through, I didn’t want the next generation of girls to face them. A lot of girls get scared and are unable to continue playing. That's why I decided to take a stand..." she added.

When asked about what she thinks there’s still something lacking in this process? Has the government's support been enough, or has there been something missing?

Sakshi said, "Look, even now, the full recognition of our expectations hasn’t been given. It's happening, and we'll continue to fight. We keep talking about having a better federation. As long as someone like Sanjay Singh is in power, things won't change."