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Vinesh Phogat was on the cusp of sports greatness, preparing for her gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics when news broke that she had been disqualified for being overweight by a mere 100 grammes. The announcement led to heartbreak, outrage and sympathy back in India. It has also led to a political blame game with members of the opposition alleging that the wrestler was a ‘victim of sports politics' read more
 "Why Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Olympics became a political dangal")
On Wednesday came the heartbreaking news that Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat had been disqualified from the Paris Oympics, hours before her final bout, for being overweight. Reuters
She has been a fighter. On the mat, off the mat. But after 31 hours, at 5.17 am on Thursday (August 8), Vinesh Phogat, the Indian wrestler, gave up the fight, announcing her retirement from the sport — hours after she was disqualified from the Paris Olympics, just before her bout for the gold medal.
In a post on X, addressing her mother, she wrote: “Ma, wrestling has won, I have lost. Please forgive me, your dreams and my courage, everything is broken. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I shall be indebted to you all. Forgive (me).”
Her heart-breaking retirement comes a day after she was disqualified from the women’s 50 kg wrestling at the Paris Olympics for being overweight by a mere 100 grammes.
The 29-year-old’s disqualification on Wednesday (August 7) not only brought heartbreak to billions of Indians but also led to a political battle within India, with the opposition alleging a conspiracy and others calling her a victim of ‘sports politics’.
What’s going on? Why has her disqualification led to conspiracy charges and a political spat in India?
What are the conspiracy claims made after Phogat’s exit?
Hours after news broke that Phogat had been disqualified from the Paris Olympics — she was preparing for her gold medal bout — several opposition leaders in India raised questions against the government.
The Congress alleged that the grappler was the victim of a “conspiracy” and took a swipe at the government, asking that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi can stop the Russia-Ukraine war, then why can’t he ensure justice for the Indian grappler.
Congress general secretary Randeep Surjewala said Phogat hoisted the country’s tricolour in the Paris Olympics by winning the pre-quarter, quarter-final and semi-final within seven hours. “World wrestling gold medallist Yui Susaki, who had not lost even once in the last 82 bouts, was defeated by the daughter of India and the Indian flag was hoisted. Vinesh Phogat did not lose on the wrestling mat but lost to the politics of conspiracy. She was sacrificed for the politics of sports,” Surjewala said.
विनेश आप हारी नही हराया गया हैं, हमारे लिए सदैव आप विजेता ही रहेगी आप भारत की बेटी के साथ साथ भारत का अभिमान भी हो 🫡😭 https://t.co/oRTCPWw6tj
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) August 8, 2024Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda also said, “Our daughter worked hard to reach the finals… when athletes were practising she was sitting in protest to seek justice for Indian women in wrestling. She still made it to the finals. Where and how did things go wrong?”
In lesser harsh words, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said, “It is unfortunate that Vinesh Phogat, India’s pride, who reached the finals after defeating world champion wrestlers, was disqualified on technical grounds. We have full hope that the Indian Olympic Association will strongly challenge this decision and provide justice to the daughter of the country.”
Later, Surjewala once again wrote on X: “This is a huge conspiracy of hatred. Who was uncomfortable with her win? Who has stabbed the daughter of Haryana in the back? Who misused power?”
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP Mahua Maji slammed the government after the news of Phogat’s disqualification. “You saw how she (Phogat) was disqualified after being found overweight by a few grammes. There is a possibility that there may have been a conspiracy against her. She should get justice.”
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also took a jab at the government, demanding a thorough investigation into the “technical reasons” for wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification in Paris. “There should be a thorough investigation into the technical reasons behind Vinesh Phogat not being able to take part in the final and the truth and the real reason behind it should come to the fore,” Yadav said in a post in Hindi on X.
Away from the political arena, Bajrang Punia, a fellow wrestler, made a bold claim on X: “Vinesh aap haari nahi, haraya gaya hai (you were not beaten but made to face defeat), for us you will always be a winner, you are not only the daughter of India but also the pride of India.”
विनेश आप हारी नही हराया गया हैं, हमारे लिए सदैव आप विजेता ही रहेगी आप भारत की बेटी के साथ साथ भारत का अभिमान भी हो 🫡😭 https://t.co/oRTCPWw6tj
— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) August 8, 2024Where do these claims originate from?
Punia’s hint of foul play as echoed by many politicians is in reference to Vinesh’s involvement in the protests that wrestlers held last year against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) President Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan.
In January last year, Vinesh along with Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and others gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, accusing then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh Sharan, who was also a BJP MP, of sexual exploitation and intimidation. The protesters demanded his resignation and dissolution of the federation.
After a two-day protest, the then Sports Minister, Anurag Thakur, had assured Vinesh and the wrestlers about forming an Oversight Committee (OC) to investigate the case further.
In May, the wrestlers returned to the streets of Delhi after the OC report was submitted to the Sports Ministry, but was not made public. The wrestlers further alleged that seven female wrestlers, including a minor, had filed a sexual harassment complaint against Brij Bhushan at the CP police station but the police didn’t register an FIR.
On May 28, the wrestlers made headlines when they were assaulted and detained by police when they marched towards the new parliament building on the day of its inauguration. After the incident, the wrestlers travelled to Haridwar to throw their medals into the Ganga river — a moment that brought tears to many as it was broadcast across the world. It was only after much persuasion and cajoling from farmer leaders that Vinesh and her fellow wrestlers reconsidered their decision.
In December as part of the ongoing protests, Vinesh returned her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award, leaving them at Kartavya Path in New Delhi.
On the day of her selection trials for Olympic and Asian slots, ESPN reports, that Vinesh spoke to the researchers from the Sports and Rights Alliance, (SRA) an athlete’s rights organisation, about the protests. Her words in the SRA’s report on ‘Sexual Abuse in the Indian wrestling federation’ are haunting. “Indian society normalises abuse and harassment. They will only take it seriously when the assault is gruesome. But it is like how we fight a wrestling bout. Whether we lost by one point or by ten, we lose. Whether the assault is big or small, it is an assault. An act against our will.”
How has the government reacted?
But how has the government reacted to the opposition’s move of targeting the government following Phogat’s debarment?
When Phogat’s disqualification was announced, PM Modi termed her a “champion among champions”.
Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! You are India's pride and an inspiration for each and every Indian.
Today's setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing.
At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always…
Later, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya delivered a six-minute speech on the issue in Lok Sabha, saying the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had lodged a strong protest with the International Wrestling Federation.
He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked IOA chief PT Usha to take “appropriate action” in the matter. When he began to list details of the government’s financial assistance to Phogat, members of the opposition staged a walkout.
Even today (August 8), Phogat’s disqualification reverberated in Parliament, with members of the opposition staging a walkout from the Rajya Sabha when they were not allowed to discuss the matter.
Congress MP Pramod Tiwari told reporters later, “The INDI Alliance members have staged a walkout from Rajya Sabha over the Vinesh Phogat issue. We wanted to discuss the issues surrounding her Olympics disqualification but the government is not ready.”
It is unclear what comes next in the Vinesh Phogat saga. But as The Swaddle noted, “Vinesh’s historic stint at the wrestling area in the Paris Olympics and her relentless fight for justice outside of it shows that honour and glory aren’t in medals if the playing field isn’t level.”
The question that people should then be asking is: Do only medals make a hero?
With inputs from agencies
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