New Delhi/Rohtak: Vinesh Phogat could not win the Olympics medal she was so determined to in the Paris Olympics after her disqualification within touching distance of at least silver, but her heartbreak has touched every Indian and wrestling fan. On Saturday morning, three days after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected her appeal, the empathy and affection was all evident as Vinesh landed home.
The wrestler was in tears at the grand reception led by her mother Prem Lata, Olympic medallists Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, community leaders from her Haryana village and political leaders at her touchdown at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday morning and then at her native village of Balali. Vinesh was taken in a convoy of vehicles from the airport.
Vinesh, back after a third Olympics that ended in dismay after being found marginally overweight during a second weigh-in before the final, was garlanded on arrival amid drum beats with many in the crowd waving the Indian tricolour. Vinesh sat atop a jeep with her two fellow wrestlers who have been with her at every step through the prolonged sit-in protest alleging sexual harassment by then federation president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The case awaits a verdict in a Delhi court.
Vinesh and Sakshi were in tears as they embraced after she emerged from the terminal. Later, Vinesh broke into a smile, waving and thanking cheering fans with folded hands.
Overwhelmed by the support, she told reporters, “I would like to thank the entire nation for the love and support. I am really lucky. It’s not over yet, the fight will continue.”
“Meri beti champion, maan samman desh ki (my daughter is a champion, she is acknowledged and respected by the country),” her mother said. “People have given my daughter more respect than a gold medal could get her. My late husband, a bus driver, had dreamt of making Vinesh a pilot. He was confident she would achieve great things in life. He would have been so proud of her.” Her mother also thanked renowned wrestling coach Mahavir Phogat, Vinesh’s paternal uncle, for encouraging girls to take up the sport.
Vinesh’s husband, Somveer Rathee, said Vinesh’s decision to retire was final. “We have been fighting for the last two years. We can’t fight anymore.” Congress MP Deepender Hooda said, “Vinesh is a champion. People of the country are proud of her.” The BJP too had also planned a grand welcome, but called it off after the model code of conduct came into effect following the announcement of Haryana assembly elections.
Vinesh had entered in 50kg, a category that was difficult for her to maintain weight. She had a brilliant first day where she won three bouts, starting with the stunning first round defeat of Japan’s gold medal favourite, Yui Susaki. It was a sleepless and anxious night after that as she and her support team worked tirelessly to bring down the body weight for the second weigh-in on August 7. However, Vinesh was found marginally overweight and disqualified. An appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a shared silver medal was rejected on Wednesday.
Bajrang was delighted: “People of this country are giving her so much love,” he said. Sakshi said: “What Vinesh has done for the country, very few people do it. She should get more respect and appreciation.”
On Friday, Vinesh released an open letter explaining the effort put in by her support team led by Hungarian coach, Woller Akos, to help her reduce weight. She also praised reputed orthopaedic surgeon and sports medicine expert, Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, who has operated on Vinesh thrice. Pardiwala, who was head of the Indian Olympic Association’s medical team at the Paris Olympics had come in for vicious trolling on social media on a perception that the wrestler did not receive enough support.
Mahavir Phogat and his daughters Geeta and Babita, both former wrestlers, were absent in the receptions to Vinesh. Geeta’s husband Pawan Saroha, in a post on X, criticised Vinesh for leaving out her uncle’s name from among those she thanked in her letter.
