Why did Vinesh Phogat, who usually maintains a weight of 55-56 kg, enter the 50 kg weight category? Why didn’t he take his back? Vinesh, who is playing international competitions without trials, also has the strength to do so. Why did he take such a risk, in which there was a risk of his disqualification and bringing hopelessness and embarrassment to the country? He should have been worried about his supporters too, who have been his companions in his struggle for the last one and a half years.
Both the political parties have dealt with Vinesh Phogat’s case keeping the upcoming Haryana elections in mind. Because in Haryana Vinesh is not only the name of sports but also of politics. For about one and a half years, he has been opening a front against the Wrestling Federation, its former president Braj Bhushan Sharan Singh and in a hushed tone the entire Modi government. Therefore, the BJP leadership issued very restrained and sympathetic statements on Vinesh’s Olympic episode, while the opposition left no stone unturned in running the ‘conspiracy’ narrative. What could have been a better opportunity than this to add fresh oil to the anti-BJP torch lit by Vinesh.
The electoral interest of those doing politics is understandable, but a different situation is prevalent in the media. Some ‘journalists’ and ‘experts’ are trying to prove how the wrestling federation conspired against Vinesh and how she was forced to play in the 50 kg weight category. Whereas she is a player of 53 kg category. Till yesterday, all such dignitaries, irrespective of Vinesh’s weight category, were wildly celebrating how Vinesh had stunned PM Modi in Paris. All the opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi were seen taunting the Modi government on the pretext of Vinesh. A cartoonist lent his pen to this sentiment, and drew a scene on the wrestling mat where Vinesh is riding with her elbows on the back of Braj Bhushan who is lying face down. He did not know that on the pretext of Vinesh, Niyati was going to elbow his slut Jashan in the back.
Those who are following the selection process of wrestlers know that for the last one year, Vinesh has been sent to international competitions without playing trials. Panghal, the last opponent in her category, had to go to court due to being upset with the preference given to Vinesh by the Government of India and the Federation. Her sorrow was that despite winning all the trial matches in the 53 kg weight category, she was being kept on standby, whereas Vinesh, who did not appear for the trials, was being given the opportunity to represent the country.
When Vinesh won her three matches in the Olympics, the entire country was in shock. Perhaps such an amazing performance was not expected. Because like Vinesh, Bajrang Punia was sent to participate in the Asian Games without playing trials. And they were badly defeated there. Well, today when Vinesh’s weight issue came to light, it was revealed that she usually weighs 55-56 kg and after losing about three kg, she plays in the 53 kg category. He played his last match in the 50 kg category in the Rio Olympics in 2016. Since this time after fighting the court battle and winning all the trials, Panghal had finally made it to the Olympics in this category, Vinesh had the option of only 50 kg category. Vinesh’s risk was only that whether she would be able to maintain the weight of this category or not. Which could not happen.
The hopelessness that came to the country through Vinesh is being consoled by saying that Vinesh did not sleep the whole night to lose weight. Kept running. Did cycling. He did not eat or drink anything. Even cut your hair. In the end he became so dehydrated that he had to be admitted to the hospital. So will anyone tell that the other wrestler who reached the final of 50 kg category also kept making the same efforts to lose weight? No. There was no competition to lose weight. Nor was there to be any medal for it.
Actually, Vinesh was trying to enter the weight category for which she was not comfortable. Such shameful suggestions also kept floating in the media that if some time was taken for Vinesh on the pretext of injury, things would have been resolved. However, such methods are called Jugaad in India. Similar tricks were also used by dismissed IAS officer Pooja Khedkar, who was in the news recently, who collected fake certificates ranging from caste to poverty and disability to pass the UPSC exam. Well, those who are champions do not look for ifs and buts. If Vinesh had to play in the 50 kg category only, then she had to maintain this weight continuously. It was risky to make such an effort in a competition. And its examples are full all over the world. The difference is that Vinesh is not an ordinary player. Apart from wrestling, she is fighting many battles, in which honesty is paramount. His disqualification like this is really heart breaking.
To be politically correct, Vinesh should be told that ‘she is the champion of champions’. Whereas on the contrary, many lessons should be taken from Vinesh’s Olympic episode-
1. You cannot become a topper just by studying the night before. If you want to become a topper then you have to perform consistently while maintaining the same level. Vinesh has not competed in the 50 kg category for the last eight years.
2. If you go before the world without internal assessment, the chances of failure increase. Vinesh should not have been sent to big competitions without trials.
3. Celebrating failure is the most negative thing. This brings down the benchmarks for other competitors as well. If Vinesh will be called ‘champion’ despite being disqualified, then what will be the incentive for success?
4. A player is a player and a leader is a leader. Vinesh is an exception. It is rare that you can represent the country at the highest level of sports through leadership. This should not be considered ideal.
5. Regarding Vinesh, it is being said that her weight was only 100 grams too much, so much concession can be given. It is not a matter of weight of 100 grams, it is a matter of that one number, by meeting or not meeting which you are called pass or fail.