Vinesh Phogat’s quest for an Olympic medal has been fueled by more than personal ambition; it is a fight for a greater cause. Over the past year, the wrestler has been at the forefront of a protest against the alleged sexual harassment of female wrestlers by Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former President of the Wrestlers’ Federation of India (WFI). Yesterday, she etched her name in history by qualifying for the Olympic finals.
Phogat’s journey to the final was nothing short of extraordinary. She defeated the reigning Olympic and world champion, a two-time European Games medalist, and a Pan-American Games champion, as reported by ESPN. With her qualification, she has secured at least a silver medal in the Paris Olympics.
This victory is especially sweet for the 29-year-old from Haryana, who entered the Olympics with a resolute aim: to win a medal and show it to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. In a November 2023 interview with ESPN, Phogat stated, “The only thing I have told Bajrang and Sakshi is that I will still fight. I will look him [Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh] in the eye and bring back a medal. They both have Olympic medals; I don’t. I have a reason to fight. If I train well, I can win a medal. No one can stop me.”
Fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia recounted her words to ESPN, “She told me, ‘I am fighting for the future generation of wrestlers. Not for myself; my career is done, and this is my last Olympics. I want to fight for the young women wrestlers who will come after me, so they can wrestle safely. That’s why I was at Jantar Mantar, and that’s why I am here,’ he said.
Phogat’s historic semi-final win at the Paris Olympics follows a tumultuous period, during which she, Sakshi Malik, and other athletes staged a prolonged sit-in protest in Delhi early last year. They protested against the alleged sexual harassment by BJP’s Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Despite facing vilification from certain sections of the internet, police detainment, and even a dramatic moment where they nearly threw their medals into the Ganges in Haridwar, they remained resolute. The intervention of farmers’ leader Naresh Tikait stopped them at the last moment.
