Vinesh Phogat Reveals Fresh Details About Paris Ordeal, Claims No Help From PT Usha

Former Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat slammed Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha for clicking a photo without informing her when she was hospitalised in a poly-clinic in Paris after a failed weigh-in before the gold medal bout in the Paris Olympics 2024. (More Sports News)

Phogat had fallen ill after being disqualified from the women's wrestling 50kg freestyle category final in the Paris Olympics and was admitted to a small poly-clinic in the Olympics village. PT Usha visited her during that time and shared a picture on social media with her.

Phogat has joined the Indian National Congress recently and is running for elections in the Haryana Legislative Assembly from the Julana seat. She revealed the truth behind the viral photo during her conversation with a local news channel.

"I don't know what support I got there," Vinesh said during the chat. "PT Usha Madam visited me at the hospital. One photo was clicked...As you said, in politics a lot happens behind closed doors. Similarly, politics happened there (in Paris) as well. That's why I was heartbroken. Otherwise, a lot of people are saying 'Don't leave wrestling'. For what should I continue? There is politics everywhere."

She claimed that she got no support from the association and the President. She sounded very furious over the clicked photo and the way it was posted.

"You are on a hospital bed, where you don't know what's happening in life outside, you are going through one of the worst phases of your life. At that place, just to show everyone you were standing with me, you clicked a photo without telling me and then posted it on social media to say you were standing with me," told Phogat. "That's not how you show support! What was it more than posturing," she concluded.

Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian female wrestler to win a semi-final bout in the Olympics. She was scheduled to compete against USA's Sarah Hildebrandt in the gold medal match of the 50kg freestyle category, but she exceeded the weight limit by just 100g during the weigh-in. Subsequently, she appealed her disqualification to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), but her appeal was denied.