Indian Olympian Vinesh Phogat is swapping the wrestling arena for politics

JULANA – Indian wrestling star Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the Paris Games, but is determined to continue to fight on behalf of her electorate and against sexual harassment of women by taking part in the October 5 state elections.

Phogat retired from wrestling after she was disqualified before the women’s 50 kg freestyle final for failing to gain 100 g despite starving herself for a week.

She now spends her days campaigning in her home state of Haryana for the main opposition Congress party, receiving blessings from party elders and building on the momentum she and other wrestlers created in 2023 by protesting against a politician accused of sexually harassing female athletes.

“I am here to bring change in all sectors and to care equally for everyone, especially women in my constituency,” said Phogat, 30, before one of her door-to-door campaigns.

“It is important that the fight we started two years ago against sexual harassment has a beautiful and satisfying ending. Harassment happens in all sectors, some cases come to light, others don’t.”

Phogat and other wrestlers, including Sakshi Malik, an Olympic bronze medalist, were the faces of a months-long protest demanding punitive action against then Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

In 2024, a Delhi court accused Singh, a former lawmaker of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, of sexual harassment and intimidation. He denied any inappropriate conduct.

Phogat is a star in Haryana’s Julana constituency and her wrestler family was the subject of the Bollywood hit “Dangal”.

She recalled the void she felt after being disqualified from the Olympics, but said the community’s support helped her find a new purpose in politics.

“I spent all my days at home. But hundreds of people visited me every day and asked me not to give up my fighting spirit,” she said.

Phogat’s new career will be full of challenges. Since 1967, the Congress has won the Julana constituency only four times, although polls predict that Modi’s BJP may lose the Haryana elections this time. The results will be announced on October 8.

Several voters – many of them women – predicted a landslide victory for Phogat.

“If women didn’t support women, who would,” said a young woman voting for the first time.

Bajrang Punia, who won bronze in men’s 65 kg wrestling at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, is also turning to politics. He was appointed working president of the All India Kisan Congress. REUTERS