Vinesh Phogat: In a stunning turn of events at the Paris Olympics, wrestler Vinesh Phogat has announced her retirement from professional wrestling. Following her exclusion from competing in the final in the 50 kg category because she was found 100 grams overweight, the 29-year-old released a social media post declaring goodbyes to wrestling, describing emotional turmoil and exhaustion.
Phogat Announces Retirement on Social Media
Two-time World Championship bronze medalist Phogat declared this on ‘X’ itself, with a message that read very apologetic and distressed in tone to address her mother Premlata. “Maa, wrestling won over me, I lost. Sorry. Your dream, my courage, all are broken. I don’t have more strength than this now,” Phogat wrote. Her retirement has brought an end to a fantastic career launched in 2001 and lasted for more than two decades.
Historic Performance Despite Disqualification
Though it was a disqualification, Phogat’s performance at the Olympics was historic. She made it to the final by convincingly beating Cuban wrestler Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semis and became the first Indian woman wrestler to do so at an Olympic final. That itself ensured a silver and gave hope to a nation salivating at the prospect of a gold.
Phogat’s road to the finals wasn’t easy. She wrestled three tough bouts on Tuesday, which caused her severe dehydration. Even the measures to keep her weight in control – drinking less water, cutting her hair, and rigorous exercise – failed to help her remain within the prescribed limit. A gap in weight made her ineligible for participation, and the blow proved too hard to digest.
Health Crisis and Recovery
The huge distress of the wrestler caused her to faint. She was admitted to a Paris hospital, from where she has since been discharged and is reportedly recovering. Phogat’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sports is on for her disqualification to be reconsidered and a joint silver medal awarded to her. Her retirement brought the curtain down on an era in Indian wrestling.
Phogat decided to step away from sport, a move that resonated with the fact that the more intense the pressures and sacrifices that go into turning an athlete into a world champion, the more overwhelming they can be. Her legacy, part triumph and part tragedy, will remain an anguishing chapter in the Indian sports history book.
What Next for Indian Women Wrestling
Plenty of questions have been made since Vinesh Phogat retired. The most important query is who will now lead India’s wrestling team. In addition to Divya Kakran, Sakshi Malik, and Geetika Jakhar, it is anticipated that many more female wrestlers will represent India with pride in the future. However, a lot of people think Vinesh Phogat ought not to have retired at this point.
