DC Edit | Vinesh Is Out, But Wins Battle

They say sports and politics do not mix. Hah! Ask wrestler Vinesh Phogat and you’ll hear a louder laugh, which is also not her last. Starting with her prolonged protest against former Wrestling Federation of India chief who was accused of sexually abusing sportswomen to being arm-twisted by administrators before finally being pinned ahead of the selection trials to pick India’s squad for the upcoming Asian Games, the champion has seen it all. And it’s just not cricket.

That she is a Congress MLA from Haryana taking on BJP-affiliated officials is an altogether different ball game.

The 31-year-old also resembled a track and field athlete, leaping over one hurdle after another before managing to finish the circuitous race whose route also involved the country’s top tribunal. Vinesh’s case was eventually cleared after legal and administrative battles as the Supreme Court allowed her to participate in the selections. First win.

Then, she had to fight not just rivals on the mat. Even as she grappled with opponents with bare hands, there were conspirators lurking around the ring with their knives out for her. Challenges and counters were the order of the day as each and every bout of hers was subject to microscopic scrutiny, resulting in long pauses. Every point Vinesh scored was wildly cheered by her supporters who celebrated by dancing in front of WFI officials, triggering tense situations amidst heavy police presence.

She went past one, and another before running out of steam in the semifinal against Meenakshi Goyat, whose locks and throws drained the champion physically as much as emotionally. Game over, but Vinesh dealt a telling blow. “I do not feel I have failed. I was fighting a whole system. I will come back,” she said.

Get a grip, WFI.