Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, overwhelmed by the grand welcome she received on her return home from the Paris Olympics, has said that her fight for the betterment of Indian wrestling will continue and truth will prevail. Vinesh, who was disqualified for being overweight after reaching the 50kg final at the Olympics, was given a rousing welcome on her arrival here on Saturday. Vinesh had appealed against her disqualification in the Sports Arbitration but its ad hoc division rejected it.
Addressing her fans, Vinesh said, “Our fight is not over. The fight will continue and I pray to God that truth will prevail.” Vinesh and her fellow Olympians Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik have been protesting against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) and its former chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for over a year over the alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers.
Six wrestlers, including Vinesh, sat on a dharna at Jantar Mantar last year demanding action against the former WFI president. Vinesh also said that the grand welcome she received has inspired her to move forward.
The 29-year-old wrestler said, “The love I got from my countrymen, my village and family members will help me overcome this setback. I can return to wrestling.” She said, “Missing the Olympic medal is the biggest setback of my life. I don’t know how long it will take me to recover from this. I don’t know whether I will return to wrestling or not but I want to use the courage I have got today in the right direction.”
