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Sat, Dec 28, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 27, 1446 | DXB
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Dubai-based life coach on how Vinesh Phogat can overcome her biggest setback
The Indian wrestler announced her retirement after being disqualified for the 50 kg freestyle final at the Olympics for being overweight
Vinesh Phogat of India reacts after winning the match against Yui Susaki of Japan. — Reuters
A photograph of a young woman in a tracksuit, with short, unkempt hair sitting on the floor and looking utterly distraught, went viral on social media on Wednesday.
This was not some sleep-deprived junkie lost in some dark corner of the world.
This was Vinesh Phogat, India’s World Championship medal-winning wrestler who had made history on Tuesday night by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the final of a wrestling event at the Olympics.
Yet, Phogat’s world had turned upside down on Wednesday morning in Paris after she was disqualified for the 50 kg freestyle final for being overweight by just 100 grams.
A world-class wrestler in the 53 kg category, Phogat could not find her rhythm in her favourite event after returning from a serious injury.
The 29-year-old moved to the 50 kg category, a big challenge for any wrestler, early this year to have a shot at qualifying for the Paris Olympics.
Proving the doubters wrong, Phogat successfully shifted to the new weight category before putting up some impressive performances to qualify for her third Olympic Games.
But in Paris, no one expected her to last the distance in the first match against Japan’s Yui Susaki, the 2020 Tokyo Olympic champion who had never lost a bout in her life.
Phogat, who famously led a powerful wrestlers’ protest in India last year against the former chief of the country's wrestling federation, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh (who is also a powerful political leader), over cases of sexual harassment, stunned the world of wrestling with a comprehensive win over Susaki in Paris.
The 2018 Asian Games champion had proudly stated her wish to win an Olympic gold in Paris to silence her detractors following the massive backlash over the wrestlers’ protest against Brij Bhushan.
Vinesh Phogat (centre) detained by the police during a protest against Brij Bhushan Singh in New Delhi on May 28, 2023. — AFP file
AFP
On Wednesday, she was on track to make history as she built on her stunning victory over Susaki by winning her quarterfinal and semifinal matches to set up a final against Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States.
But about 12 hours before her final on Wednesday, Phogat was disqualified for being overweight for the 50 kg category — a blunder of epic proportions from the team of Indian trainers and coaches that robbed her of a chance to win a historic gold medal.
Phogat reportedly gained almost two kilos on Tuesday evening after she won her semifinal against Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez.
As per the rules, she needed to lose the extra kilos on the morning of the final.
The Indian team management made her do jogging and cycling the whole night, without food and liquid intake, in a desperate attempt to get her below the 50 kg mark.
But all of their efforts, including a last-gasp attempt to tilt the balance in her favour by trimming her hair, failed to do the job as she missed the mark by a mere 100 grams on Wednesday morning.
A distraught Phogat collapsed on the floor as the news of her disqualification sparked a furore in medal-hungry India, a country of 1.4 billion people that has won just three bronze medals until now, all in shooting.
A dehydrated Phogat was later given drips by the Indian medical team in Paris, but nothing could heal the deep emotional wounds that have left her in a state of despair.
In the past, this brave wrestler had dealt with career-threatening injuries as well as a huge backlash from supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party, India’s ruling political party of which Brij Bhushan is a powerful leader, after the protest over alleged sexual attacks on female wrestlers.
But the Paris Olympics setback was the hardest blow Phogat endured in her life, one that has now broken her spirit.
Phogat, who fought heroically on the mat against some of the world's greatest wrestlers and off the mat against some powerful people, has now lost the appetite for wrestling.
"“Mom, forgive me. Wrestling beat me, I’ve lost. Your dreams and my courage are broken. I don’t have strength anymore to fight,” she posted on X on Thursday morning.
"Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all. I am sorry."
It's scary to even think of her state of mind at the moment, but Girish Hemnani, a Dubai-based life coach and energy healer, believes Phogat needs to draw inspiration from everything she has achieved in her life.
“If I had the chance to speak to Vinesh Phogat now, I would genuinely highlight the incredible emotional resilience, commitment, and perseverance she has demonstrated throughout her journey,” Hemnani told the Khaleej Times.
“Her ability to rise above immense challenges—from leading a protest against powerful figures to overcoming career-threatening injuries—reflects her profound inner strength and unwavering dedication.”
Vinesh Phogat of India celebrates winning the semifinal match against Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba. — Reuters
Phogat, who belongs to a famous family of wrestlers in Haryana, a state in northern India, would need all the mental support in the immediate aftermath of the Olympic heartbreak and her emotional decision to retire from the sport she fell in love with as a child.
“The support is vital now. They need to provide a compassionate, safe space for her to express her feelings. Constructive feedback should be given privately without adding unnecessary stress,” said Hemnani.
But dealing with stress could be the first hurdle as certain elements on social media have already launched toxic attacks on Phogat, alleging that the wrestler even ‘bullied’ India’s wrestling federation to get her into the 50 kg freestyle category for the Olympics.
“It’s sad that certain people have resorted to this so quickly,” Shailesh Chaturvedi, a senior Indian journalist who had covered the 2012 London Olympics and the 2006 Doha Asian Games, told the Khaleej Times.
“Vinesh never made any demands, yes, she did request them to put her in the 50 kg trials because she had just come back from a serious injury.
“And now there would be a lot of people who would blame her for what happened in Paris. But don’t forget, there is a team of experienced trainers and coaches in the Indian team. Was it not their responsibility to do the needful so she maintained her weight?”
On Wednesday, there was also a large number of people, including Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, showing their support for Phogat.
But the most remarkable source of support was Jordan Burroughs, an American wrestler who won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
Vinesh Phogat of India reacts after winning the semifinal match in Paris. — Reuters
Burroughs blasted the IOC (International Olympic Committee) for the rules that led to Phogat’s disqualification and retirement.
Hemnani says it’s the messages of support from champions like Burroughs that would eventually help Phogat rise over the obstacles once again in her life.
“Vinesh will face both support and negativity. My advice to her is to focus on the positive messages and surround herself with people who uplift her,” the Dubai resident said. “Her worth is not defined by online comments but by her incredible journey and the countless lives she has inspired.”
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Rituraj Borkakoty
Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing on his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.
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