Olympic medalist and wrestler Sakshi Malik announced her retirement on December 21, 2023, coinciding with the election of Sanjay Singh, a loyalist of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, as the President of the Wrestling Federation of India. In response to this development, fellow medalist and Padma Shri awardee Bajrang Punia returned his award to the government. On Sunday, December 24, 2023, the Sports Ministry announced the suspension of Sanjay Singh. In light of these events, Sakshi Malik has now reacted, addressing whether she plans to reconsider her retirement decision.
Former wrestler Sakshi Malik stated that she has not seen anything in writing about the suspension of the newly elected body of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) or its chief Sanjay Singh, adding that wrestlers' fight is not with the government. Sakshi praised the decision but expressed uncertainty regarding the suspension, stating, "I haven't received any written confirmation yet. I am unsure if only Mr. Singh or the entire body has been suspended. Our battle is not against the government but for women wrestlers. While I've announced my retirement, I seek justice for upcoming wrestlers."
She hinted at a potential reversal of her retirement decision, saying, "My decision will be based on the new federation." Meanwhile the Sports Ministry criticized WFI's decision, deeming it a "complete disregard" for sports codes due to violations of established norms and constitutional provisions.