Picture Credit: X
Star Indian wrestler, Vinesh Phogat, who suffered a heartbreaking exit from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games last month, has finally opened up on Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President, PT Usha meeting her after her disqualification. Phogat, who had fallen ill shortly after her disqualification and was rushed to the Games village hospital, saw the IOA President visit her.
But days after the Indian wrestler returned to her home city in India, following a series of judgements by the Court of Arbitration (CAS) after her appeal of a joint silver medal, has made shocking revelation and has also accused the IOA President of getting a picture clicked without her permission.
Kiske liye karu wrestling. There’s politics everywhere: Vinesh Phogat
The multiple Commonwealth Games gold medallist went on to hit at former Indian athlete PT Usha, who serves as the IOA President for an instance when she clicked herself alongside Phogat at the Games, calling it “politics”. “I don’t know what support I got there,” Vinesh Phogat stated in her recent interview with a local news channel.
“PT Usha madam visited me at the hospital. One photo was clicked…. Like you said, in politics a lot happens behind closed doors. Similarly, politics happened there (in Paris) as well. That’s why I was heartbroken. Otherwise, a lot of people are saying ‘don’t leave wrestling’,” Phogat added.
“Kiske liye karu wrestling (For what and whom should I continue)? There is politics everywhere,” the Indian Olympic wrestler added. Expressing her frustration on PT Usha for getting the picture unknowingly, Phogat added, "You are on a hospital bed, where you don't know what's happening in life outside, you are going through one of the worst phases of your life. At that place, just to show everyone you are standing with me, aap bina bataye photo kheench rahe ho, fir social media pe daal ke bol rahe ho hum saath mein khade hain (clicked a photo without telling me and then putting it on social media to say you are standing with me). That's not how you show support. What was it more than (posturing)!"
Vinesh Phogat joins Congress; to fight from Julana
The Indian wrestler, who called it quits after the series of events which unfolded at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Vinesh Phogat joined politics. Phogat was confirmed to have joined one of the key political parties in India, the Indian National Congress (INC) on Friday, September 6. She was announced as the Congress candidate from Julana assembly constituency.
Moreover, another key wrestler, Bajrang Punia, who has always stood by Phogat also joined the part and was appointed at the working chairman of All India Kisan Congress with immediate effect.
