NEW DELHI: Vinesh Phogat, the wrestler who was disqualified from the 50kg final at the Paris Olympics due to being overweight, expressed her determination to continue her fight against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) despite the overwhelming reception she received upon her return to India. The athlete, whose appeal against her disqualification was rejected by the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), remained hopeful that "truth will prevail" in her ongoing battle with the federation.
The journey from Delhi to her native village of Balali took Vinesh nearly 13 hours, as she covered a distance of 135 kilometers. Along the way, she was honored by her supporters and khap panchayats in various villages, who recognized her courage and resilience in the face of adversity.
Upon reaching Balali around midnight, Vinesh was greeted with a grand welcome by the villagers, who had gathered to show their support and admiration. Her neighbors and friends met her with a mix of tears and smiles, acknowledging the strength she had displayed throughout her ordeal.
Despite the exhaustion from her long journey that began in Paris, Vinesh took a brief rest before addressing the gathered crowd. Her words reflected her unwavering commitment to her cause and her belief in the power of truth to ultimately triumph.
Vinesh Phogat greeted with love upon return from Olympics setback
"Our fight has not ended and the fight will continue and I pray to god that the truth will prevail," said Vinesh while addressing the people.
Vinesh, accompanied by fellow wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, had staged a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar, where they spent nights on the street.
The wrestlers had leveled allegations of sexual harassment against the former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. When they attempted to march towards the new Parliament building, they were forcibly removed from the premises.
The legal proceedings against Brij Bhushan are currently underway in a Delhi court.
Upon her return, Vinesh expressed that the warm reception she received would provide her with the strength to move forward and continue with her life.
"As I got love from my fellow Indians, my village and my family members, it would give me some courage to make this wound heal. Maybe, I could return to wrestling," said the 29-year-old Vinesh.
"Missing the Olympic medal is the biggest wound in my life. I don't know how much time it would take to heal this wound. I don't know if I would pursue wrestling or not but the kind of courage I got today , I want to use that in the right direction," she added.
Vinesh said she does not know if she deserved the accolades or not.
"But I feel extremely lucky to be born in this village. I would always fight for the honour of the women and of this village."
"I want it from the bottom of my heart that somebody from the village carries my legacy and breaks my records. If I can promote women wrestlers of my village, it would be my biggest achievement," she said.
Vinesh had announced her retirement from the sport after her disqualification.
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