Vinesh Phogat Interview: ‘If I give up, I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror’

I told the WFI president that I received the show-cause notice on Friday night and was given 14 days to reply. I have a son to take care of, I have to make the weight cut, and I’m preparing for the competition. So I gave a short reply to the WFI because of lack of time. I told them that I would submit a detailed reply in 14 days. So let me compete now. After 14 days, if they are not satisfied with my detailed reply, you can take action.

But the WFI president said ‘No, you have to give a detailed reply’. After that, they said they will form a committee after 14-15 days and it will decide. I told them ‘hope the committee will meet before the 2028 Olympics’. Basically, the WFI wants to stop me from participating in the Asian Games. The WFI wants me to retire.

What was in your written reply submitted today?

I stated that I had briefed the ITA (International Testing Agency) earlier (about the reason for the missed test in December 2025) and that they had allowed me to participate in international and national events from January 1, 2026. I told the WFI that when I give the detailed reply, if there is any deviation of facts from the reply I submitted today, they can take action against me. I accepted that there was a missed test and it was my mistake.

After the missed test, I have been tested again. On December 12 (2025), I had intimated the WFI and the international federation that I would like to compete again. There was a five-month gap between then and now, but the WFI didn’t react. They accepted my registration (for the Open National Ranking tournament), took the fees but after 10 days, they thought ‘how do we stop her?’ So they issued a show-cause notice. The WFI is a dictatorship. They are afraid that I will win medals again.

Two years ago, there was heartbreak at the Paris Olympics. A year later, you and Somvir became parents. Talk about the contrasting emotions?

Mere bete ne jod diya heart (My son has fixed my broken heart). After being ineligible to compete in the final, I felt I had run out of emotions. But my son has brought back joy in my life. The energy I have discovered to fight against the system is coming from my son. They say a child is God’s gift. In my fight, I am not taking away anyone’s else’s rights. Let everything be decided on the mat.

The motherhood experience is very different from what you experienced as a wrestler…

When I returned from the Olympics, mera family se bhi man bhar gaya tha, sach batau toh (I didn’t want to be with my family too). I just wanted to stay alone. Then Kridhav came into our lives. Before the baby was born, there was talk of whether it will be a boy or a girl. We were expecting a girl. Now, I do everything for Kridhav. If I eat something, I am doing it for him. If I train, I am doing it for him. He observes me every day. I think about how Kridhav will feel if I do this. When he becomes older, what he will learn from me. That is motivating me. I want him to be hardworking and learn to fight the right battles. When he becomes about five years old, I still want to be on the wrestling mat. If he sees me fight, he will learn.

When did you take the decision to make a comeback and why?

I was not confident if I could make a comeback because emotionally, I was drained. I felt I could not give more to wrestling. Like uske baad toh maut hai, aage kua pichhe khai (Only death was next… like being between the devil and the deep blue sea). My first aim was to get fit. Once you become a mother, you become a different person. But now I am feeling good about my comeback because I know Kridhav is seeing me. I dream of going to the Olympics and seeing my son cheer for me. That thought is a big motivation.

How was it balancing being a mother and being a wrestler?

I am a politician too. From where I have won (Julana), the people are very kind and they have treated me like their daughter. I want them to feel proud of me to know they have elected a person who is capable of winning. There is a lot of support at home, my husband Somvir, my mother… Everyone is there to help. It can get difficult because there are recovery issues as the baby does not let you sleep well at night. But then you are motivated to do it for the child despite the challenges.

What were the challenges of getting fit after becoming a mother?

It was very difficult. I had a C-Section and not a normal delivery. One month after giving birth, I started training in Kharkhoda. I couldn’t do push-ups, my body felt so heavy and I had not seen my weight so high. I couldn’t complete pull-ups. My core was finished. But I had the motivation to get my body back in shape. First three to four months were very tough because I was breastfeeding my son, he was not sleeping too well. He was waking up early. I could not recover properly between training sessions but had to still train. There is a saying that in sports, more than chasing perfection, one must chase consistency. Even if I did a little less workout, I ensured that I was consistent with my routine. In four months, I started to see results.

You had protested at Jantar Mantar in 2023, but now it is a new fight. Are you prepared for the long haul again?

Sometimes, I do feel enough is enough and maybe I should stop my fight. But from my childhood till now, I have never liked giving up. Either I don’t start or once I start, I go till the finish. If I give up, I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror. People have seen me fight on the streets and fight in the Olympics, so I don’t want people to think the system can destroy me. I want to be the person who fights till her last breath even if the system is against me. I don’t want anyone else to decide my fate. I want Kridhav also to know that however powerful a force he is up against, he must be ready to fight till the end. Nobody remembers those who don’t speak up. Jhansi Ki Rani is remembered for dying on the battlefield.

Recently you said that you were one of the victims who has accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment. What made you speak up?

I took the decision because the system was turning a blind eye. A girl who has gone through the trauma has had to travel to a place (Gonda) where everyone is related to him (Singh), everyone is powerful and supports him. Anything could have happened to me in Gonda. And of all places, the WFI only found Gonda which is Brij Bhushan’s stronghold, to conduct the competition. If I didn’t say it now (that I was one of the victims) then when would I say it. I have the influence that if I post on social media, people will watch and listen. There are girls who even if they post on social media, nobody will listen to them.

The Asian Games is your aim for this year but are you also targeting the Olympics?

The target is definitely the Olympics (2028) but I also want to participate in major competitions before the Olympics. I will compete for five to six years.