After losing a year to protests and injury, Vinesh Phogat set for a comeback at Wrestling Nationals

Under the mild winter sun, Vinesh Phogat stepped onto the wrestling mat in the cordoned-off practice area adjacent to the main venue of the Senior National Wrestling Championships at the Railway Stadium in Jaipur. After a series of stretching routines and warm-up drills, she began grappling. A few minutes earlier, she was in the VIP area exchanging pleasantries with officials, coaches and posing for selfies and group photographs. Her face lit up on seeing the qualification rounds of the Greco-Roman wrestlers. “This looks like a proper nationals is taking place, doesn’t it? It is a relief to see that wrestlers are back on the mat in an Olympic year,” she said.

Vinesh has butterflies in her stomach but is relieved to return to competition after nearly a year and a half. On Sunday, the 29-year-old world championship medalist will feature in the 55kg category.

One of the prominent faces of the protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faces sexual harassment charges, Vinesh had spent more time on the streets of Jantar Mantar than at training centres. An untimely knee injury also made matters worse and scuppered her Asian Games plans.

One of the prominent faces of the protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faces sexual harassment charges, Vinesh had spent more time on the streets of Jantar Mantar than at training centres.

In August, she injured her left knee in training and had to undergo surgery. Antim Phangal, the reserve wrestler, took the flight to Hangzhou and returned with a bronze medal. Antim had also bagged an Olympic quota in the 53kg. With the Summer Games in August, Vinesh’s return will be keenly followed.

“There is a bit of nervousness but also joy that I am returning to the mat. It has been a year and a half since I competed on the mat. The whole of last year was hectic because of all the issues related to the wrestling federation. Tomorrow (Sunday), when I am on the mat, those things will seem distant for a short while,” Vinesh said on Saturday.

Vinesh will participate in the non-Olympic 55kg category because she didn’t want to drastically cut weight and is finding her feet after a long break.

“For more than a year, I have not participated in competitions and then I had surgery. I did not want to cut too much weight. The 55kg was the best option for me at these nationals. After this, I am aware I have to participate in 53 kg for world events,” Vinesh said.

The road ahead will be tough for Vinesh. The Olympic selection policy of the Indian Olympic Association-appointed ad-hoc committee, which runs the sport in the country, mandates trials for Paris 2024. Vinesh will have to compete in the two-stage trials, where she will have to take on other contenders first and, if she prevails, face off against quota-winner Antim, younger to her by a decade, for a spot in the Paris-bound team.

Vinesh weighed 60 kg during the injury rehabilitation phase when she could not train. But once she was back on her feet, she got lighter and fitter, former Greco-Roman wrestler Somvir Rathee, Vinesh’s husband said.

The Asian Games setback was a big blow for Vinesh. “She is mentally and physically ready for the nationals. However, the rehabilitation phase was not easy. An injury is tough for a sportsperson and on top of this, she also had to worry about the issues related to the wrestling federation. At times she had to travel from Bangalore (training facility) to Delhi to meet people and then go back. It wasn’t easy but she is now ready to return to the mat,” Rathee said.

यह दिन किसी खिलाड़ी के जीवन में न आए। देश की महिला पहलवान सबसे बुरे दौर से गुज़र रही हैं। #vineshphogat pic.twitter.com/bT3pQngUuI

— Bajrang Punia 🇮🇳 (@BajrangPunia) December 30, 2023

In December, Vinesh returned her Arjuna and Khel Ratna Awards by leaving them on New Delhi’s Kartavya Path after Brij Bhushan loyalist Sanjay Kumar Singh was elected as the president of the Wrestling Federation of India. Two other prominent faces of the protest Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia too took big decisions. Sakshi retired from the sport in protest, while Bajrang returned his Padma Shri award.

Vinesh says Sakshi and Bajrang took the bulk of the responsibility in dealing with WFI matters when she was on the sidelines.

“I was focussed on following the guidelines the doctors gave me during rehabilitation. Whatever was happening (WFI-related) Bajrang and Sakshi took the lead and I took a backseat. We will continue the fight against injustice but the competition for athletes should not stop. I hope all the issues in wrestling are sorted out once-and-for-all. Only then can the path for wrestlers become clear.”

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