Indian wrestling star Vinesh Phogat, who faced a heartbreaking disqualification at the Paris Olympics 2024, has spoken out against the President of the Indian Olympic Association (IOC), alleging political involvement during her hospitalization after an extreme weight-cutting process. Phogat shared her frustrations in a recent interview, stating that the visit from IOC President PT Usha seemed more like a political gesture than genuine support.
“When PT Usha ma’am came in, I was in the hospital. A picture was clicked. Yes, no nothing. I don’t know what kind of support I got from there,” Phogat shared, expressing her disappointment. She highlighted that while the nation was deeply concerned about her health, the situation felt like it was being used for political gain. “Politics is something that happens behind the curtain, so politics happened there too. Politics, that is why I was heartbroken,” she added.
Phogat had taken extreme measures to meet the weight requirements for her gold-medal match against USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt, where she had the opportunity to make history. Unfortunately, her efforts fell short, leading to her disqualification and leaving the nation devastated. Reflecting on the incident, she said, “You’re on the bed where you don’t know what’s going on with your life. You’re going through the worst part of your life. You’re just there to show the world that you are with them. You are taking pictures without telling them, you’re posting on social media that you’re with them. It doesn’t work like that.”
In a significant career shift, Phogat, along with fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia, has since joined the Indian National Congress (INC) party. Both athletes resigned from their positions in Northern Railways prior to making this political move.
