Wrestler Sangram Singh, who also appeared last year on Bigg Boss with girlfriend and is engaged to actress Payal Rohatgi, recently spoke out against the suspension handed out to boxer Sarita Devi, who was suspended by the International Boxing Association for protesting at the Asian Games on receiving a bronze medal when she believed she deserved a gold.
"The suspension of Sarita Devi is a tragedy for all sportspersons. By protesting against injustice on an international platform she has done us all proud. This has indeed been a black Friday for all of us. She did deserve a gold medal at the Asian Games," says Sangram Singh. "Yeh saraasar galat hai. Jo Sarita Devi ke saath hua bilkul cheating thi. They snatched her rightful gold medal from her. If she protested against wrong-doing in an international forum, why are those in authority in India feeling a sense of apprehension about it? And it wasn't as if she threw the bronze medal in their face. She very politely returned it.The sports federations need to respect meritorious sportspersons like her. After working her entire life to achieve what she has as a sportsperson, this is not what she deserves."
Sangram wants to change the mindset of the decision-makers in the field of sports, "Sarita obeyed the voice of her conscience and returned the bronze medal. She took a stand against the wrong done. We all should respect her decision. Look at how wrestler Amit Kumar was made to lose against his Japanese opponent when he deserved a gold medal. We must all respect people who stand up for what's right," he continues.
Sangram feels we must stop thinking only about our narrow benefits. "Very few think about the country. Sarita could have quietly walked away with the bronze. Instead she protested. Instead of applauding her, we've suspended her! The sports administrators are humiliating her. We need a change at the top level in sports."
Sangram says he is trying to bring a reform in wresting. "The Wrestling Federation is doing some good work ever since I came in. We need a similar change in other sports so that distinguished sportspersons like Sarita Devi don't get mistreated...Our country is a superpower. We don't need to humiliate our sportspersons just to please the international fraternity. Please don't ban the brave."
