Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, disqualified from the Paris Olympics, has accused Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha of using a photo taken with her in the hospital for political purposes. Vinesh alleged that the picture was shared on social media without her consent and as a form of posturing. Vinesh had reached the finals and was one win away from getting the gold medal at the Paris Olympics when she was deemed ineligible to compete over variations in her body weight for the 50-kg category.
In an interview to journalist Ajit Anjum, Vinesh said, “PT Usha visited me at the hospital and a picture was clicked. A lot of things happen behind closed doors in politics. Similarly, politics was present in Paris as well, which is why I was heartbroken.”
Following her disqualification, Vinesh retired from wrestling and joined the Indian National Congress. She was later given a ticket from Julana assembly constituency in the upcoming Haryana elections. “A lot of people asked me not to retire. But for what purpose should I continue wrestling? There is politics everywhere. So let us do politics for the betterment of our children, so that we will be able to stand by them,” she added.
Vinesh further criticised the Union government for not supporting her in filing the appeal for a shared silver medal. “Who filed the appeal? Did India do it or did Vinesh do it? We are representing India and the Union government represents India at the international level. The responsibility is theirs.” Vinesh also questioned why the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was present at the Olympics village with PT Usha and met the United World Wrestling chief.
Vinesh alleged that WFI president Sanjay Singh was a proxy for BJP leader and former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. “The organisation is still managed by Brij Bhushan,” she said. Responding to a question whether she was contacted by the Sports Minister or a representative from the Union government after the disqualification, Vinesh said she denied it.
PT Usha had earlier said that the onus of making weight was on the wrestler and coaching staff and not on the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team. On behalf of Vinesh, four lawyers in Paris filed a protest appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) pro bono to get the shared silver medal. According to reports, the IOA sought additional time to appoint a lawyer for the appeal before CAS. Former Solicitor General of India Harish Salve represented IOA at CAS, which was held on August 9.