Cleansing the Federation: Sakshi Malik's Stand Against Politics in Sports

Sakshi Malik aims to bring about change. Together with other wrestlers, she took to the streets last January to voice out their dissatisfaction. She wants a sports federation free from politics, believing that without it, female athletes will excel without fear. According to Malik, it is high time for a change, and the 'clean-up' can only happen when politics is left out of sports. She plans to drive change as a member of the federation, identifying critical areas that need improvement, from operational aspects like schedules to sensitive issues like harassment.

Another leader in the protest, Vinesh Phogat, has differently planned to make the ends meet. With a belief that politics are the route to power, she joined the Congress party and now serves as an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in their home state of Haryana.

However, the integration of politics and sports seems to be common in India. The cricket association is headed by Roger Binny, but it's Amit Shah's son, Jay Shah, who holds real power. Key political figures also lead associations in Badminton, football, tennis, shooting, table tennis, and archery among others.

This is not to deny that ex-sportspeople have tried navigating the political waters. Olympic medalist Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's appointment as Union Sports Minister was initially met with hope, but turned out to be underwhelming. PT Usha, one of India's greatest athletes, heads the Indian Olympic Association but her approach to the wrestling protest and consequential actions received widespread criticism.