Vinesh Phogat may have missed out on a medal at the Paris Olympics, but the Indian grappler was welcomed back to the country as if she had achieved more than gold. Vinesh Phogat faced some of her darkest days during the Paris Olympics. Her journey to the Olympics was a long and hard-fought one, where she stood firm in her fight for wrestlers’ rights during the protests and proved in the Olympics that she is no fluke in the sport.
She was disqualified from the Olympics for exceeding the weight limit by just 100 grams. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t reduce her weight to exactly 50 kg or less. The nation stood by her during these tough times, with netizens spreading positive comments on social media. Additionally, senior wrestlers and Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik came forward to support her. Many showed their support, but her own family—her sisters, also known as the Phogat sisters—were notably absent, instead making indirect comments against her. This raises the question: Is everything fine between Vinesh and her sisters, Geeta – Babita?
Vinesh vs Phogat sisters saga
After losing her appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the medal, Vinesh shared an emotional message following her disqualification. In a four-page letter, she expressed gratitude to many individuals for their support. However, the omission of her uncle Mahavir Phogat’s name did not go unnoticed, sparking subtle yet pointed reactions from her family.
Geeta Phogat’s social media post, stating “The fruit of deceit is deceit,” was widely interpreted as a veiled criticism of Vinesh. Meanwhile, Geeta’s husband, Pawan Kumar Saroha, directly addressed the omission, reminding Vinesh of Mahavir’s crucial role in her career. There are many reports claiming that Vinesh has forgotten her uncle Mahavir, which has upset Geeta and Babita.
Relations between uncle Mahavir and Vinesh
There are also speculations that Vinesh does not wish to acknowledge Mahavir Phogat’s role in her career. None of the family members came to receive her at the airport, it was Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik who came to pick her up.
However, Mahavir Phogat has always been a support system for Vinesh. After her disqualification at the Paris Olympics, Mahavir Phogat appeared very disappointed but expressed his continued support for Vinesh, urging her to look forward to the 2028 Olympics. He was also seen crying on national television.
Bajrang, Sakshi, and Somvir there to support
While Vinesh is not receiving any support from her family, wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and her husband Somvir Rathee are standing by her.
Somvir Rathee responded to the controversy, mentioning that he hadn’t seen the posts from Geeta Phogat or Pawan Saroha. In an interview with Jansatta, Rathee shared that Vinesh was emotionally distressed at the time and simply expressed her true feelings. He denied any claims of bitter relations between Vinesh and her sisters, clarifying that Vinesh’s message was directed solely at those involved in her journey to the Paris Olympics. Along with Somvir, Bajrang and Sakshi have always supported Vinesh, from the wrestling protests to the Paris Olympics, consistently speaking in her favour.
The political angle
While some suggest that Vinesh intentionally excluded Mahavir, others speculate that there may be a political angle behind it.
Recently, there was a claim made by IANS that Vinesh Phogat may contest the Haryana Assembly elections against her cousin Babita Phogat. Sources close to the Phogat family stated, “Yes, why not? There is a possibility that we will see a Vinesh Phogat vs Babita Phogat and Bajrang Punia vs Yogeshwar Dutt contest in the Haryana Assembly.”
Congress MP Deepender Hooda and other members of his family also garlanded her at Indira Gandhi International Airport. It is being said that some political parties are trying their best to persuade her. However, it is not yet confirmed which party Vinesh will join.
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