Sakshi, Bajrang and Virender’s actions came in protest against Sanjay’s — a close aide of Brij Bhushan Singh — appointment as WFI chief.
The newly appointed president pointed out that taking retirement is a personal call of an athlete and said he would refrain from speaking on the matter.
Sanjay also highlighted that his closeness to Brij Bhushan doesn’t make him a dummy candidate.
“Those who are athletes have already started preparing and those who want to engage in politics can do that. It is their personal matter, I will not speak about this.
“I have been in the federation for 12 years. Just because I am close to MP (Brij Bhushan) does not mean I am a dummy candidate. Is it a crime if I am close to him?” Sanjay Singh told reporters when asked about Sakshi deciding to quit wrestling after his election to the top spot.
Sanjay won most of the votes in the delayed polls, as outgoing chief Brij Bhushan gained indirect control over the national federation.
A BJP Lok Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Kaiserganj, Brij Bhushan stepped down as WFI president after being accused of exploitation by top female wrestlers in the country.
Meanwhile, Sakshi said she is worried about the junior wresters who has been “calling me about the junior nationals”.
The new body under president Sanjay Singh had on Friday announced that the U15 and U20 nationals will be held from December 28-30 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.
“I have given up wrestling but I am worried since last night. What should I do about those junior women wrestlers who are calling me and telling me that the junior nationals are going to be held from 28th and the new wrestling federation has decided to hold it in Nandani Nagar Gonda.
“Gonda is the area of ??Brij Bhushan. Now imagine how the junior women wrestlers will go there to compete. Is there no place in this country to hold Nationals anywhere other than Nandani Nagar? I don’t understand what to do.”
The WFI also said the senior National Championships will be held from January 28 in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar.
As a rule, a state association has to show interest in hosting Nationals.
On Thursday, Sanjay was elected as the president of the WFI after the panel led by him won 13 of the 15 posts.
Earlier, Sakshi, Bajrang and Vinesh Phogat had demanded that no close associate of Brij Bhushan should enter the WFI.
The three top wrestlers had accused Brij Bhushan of sexually exploiting several women wrestlers. They had even contemplated throwing away their medals into river Ganga on May 30 in Haridwar but the farmer leaders had convinced them not to take the step.
(With inputs from PTI)