Sakshi Malik
Sakshi Malik

The national federation has declined to support the initiative, despite the announcement on Monday that Olympic medalists Sakshi Malik and Aman Sehrawat, as well as former world championship bronze winner Geeta Phogat, would soon start a Wrestling Champions Super League (WCSL) for the nation’s aspiring grapplers. Sakshi led the wrestlers’ protest against former Wrestling Federation of India President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was accused of sexual harassment, along with Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat.

However, Sakshi has cut ties with the latter two when they decided to enter politics in advance of the Haryana assembly elections that are scheduled for next month.

She revealed the idea on social media with Phogat, a 55 kg bronze medalist from the 2012 World Championships, after winning the bronze in the 58 kg weight class at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Aman, the bronze medallist from the Paris Games, was included in the announcement, but the two gave no other information.

Phogat expressed her expectation for government and federation support to PTI.

“Sakshi and I have spent a lot of time organizing this League. It will soon take on its final form. We haven’t talked to the WFI yet, but it would be wonderful if they could help us along with the government. According to Phogat, it will be the first league run entirely by the players.

“We are acting in the athletes’ best interests by doing this. That is the concept and the goal, therefore there shouldn’t be any issues. We are proud of this occasion. We will not prevent anyone from participating in it; in fact, it would be ideal if the government or WFI joined in. We haven’t talked to them yet.

“Our younger wrestlers should benefit since coaches and wrestlers from abroad will be participating. They’ll receive favorable publicity. The WFI declared that it would not grant the league its sanction.

It won’t be approved by us. We want to launch our professional wrestling league shortly. We won’t be associated with the wrestlers’ promotion of the sport or their league, according to WFI President Sanjay Singh.

Phogat responded, “You will have to wait a bit to know all this,” when asked about the event’s format, location, and possibility of prize money. We will shortly provide the specifics.” Sakshi, who gave up wrestling after Sanjay Singh, a close assistant of Sharan Singh,