Vinesh Phogat slamming IOA President PT Usha is so typical of a politician speaking untruth

Vinesh Phogat needed 35 days after her disqualification from the Paris 2024 Olympics to suddenly realise Indian Olympic Association PT Usha did nothing for her. Worse, to allege Usha only met her in the nursing home/hospital on August 7, 2024 in Paris for a photo op and posted a snap on social media is distasteful.

Agreed, on August 7, Vinesh was not in good shape after she had tipped the scales by 100gm and was given a result of DQ (disqualified) and ranked last. Her attempts at cutting weight on August 6 night at the Athletes Village in Paris turned out to be futile.

First things first, why did Vinesh keep quiet for so long and is now objecting a photo of hers being posted as just optics? That is cheap and shows disrespect to Usha, who is still an athlete at heart.

Everyone who was in Paris knows the efforts which went in and who all stood by Vinesh, which includes Usha and Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, head of the Indian medical contingent in Paris. It is well-known who all went to meet Vinesh, though the wrestler is selectively telling the media that "nobody cares for her."

Frankly speaking, one can safely say now that Vinesh is speaking is a candidate who will contest on a Congress ticket from Julana in the forthcoming Haryana assembly elections. Vinesh the athlete retired and announced it herself in Paris, through an emotional post on social media.

Why is at that time in August Vinesh not say nobody stood by her? The entire nation stood by Vinesh, and she had sympathies of all, as she was definitely assured of a silver medal, at least. But then, when she came to know on August 6 evening she was overweight, her frantic attempts at weight loss did not work.

The rules are clear, an athlete has to manage his or her weight, not the medical team or anyone else. It is also well known, that when Vinesh was pushing hard, supposedly through the night of August 6 in the Games Village, Gagan Narang, the Chef de Mission was aware of her efforts.

That Vinesh had reached a point of exhaustion and dehydration is well-known, which is why she was put on an IV (intravenous) drip on the morning of August 7 after she had weighed above the 50kg limit by 100 grammes.

It was the athlete's own fault she failed, not Usha or Narang or the medical team. To be sure, Vinesh had her own hand-picked support staff, including her coach, trainer and physio who she also thanked in a separate social media post.

Frankly speaking, Usha does not need a certificate from Vinesh Phogat. In three attempts at glory in the Olympics, Vinesh came close in Paris. Official records will not lie, it does say Vinesh was disqualified. Compare this with legend PT Usha, who won 107 medals in her illustrious career, from the Asian Games plus more events in Asia.

It was her misfortune, at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Usha finished fourth in the 400m hurdles and missed bronze so narrowly. Usha never blamed anyone for it, though she did speak to all it hurts her. Mind you, Usha has not slammed her former coach OM Nambiar or anyone else they could not ensure she ran faster. That was fate and it's something Usha will live with.

Usha had helped each athlete who made cut for the Paris Olympics. As head of the NOC - National Olympic Committee - she went the extra mile to ensure the athletes got whatever they asked for in terms of facilities.

Today, if Vinesh is speaking, it's not the truth. It's no longer Vinesh the wrestler but Vinesh the politician who is talking sensational stuff. Yes, she will get a lot of traction. But if this is the respect an athlete has for a legend like Usha, then there is something wrong.

Rewind to the Olympic qualification held in Bishkek in April 2024, where Vinesh had again done the weight cut successfully. She had pushed very hard and stories were written about it. Surely, her inability to do the same in Paris is her own folly.

Last but not the least, to say she got no legal help in utter lies. The best legal brains were there for Vinesh, gratis. Maybe, whatever bytes the media get from Vinesh from now onwards will be a 'neta' speaking and not a wrestler. For the record, she retired from the sport. Officially.