Vinesh Phogat slammed Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha, stating the former runner gave no support and clicked a picture in the hospital for a publicity stunt. Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics 50 kg category after she weighed 100 grams more before the gold medal match.

The wrestler-turned-politician also claimed that she filed a case by herself and the Indian government didn’t offer any help. Phogat also feels she could have won a medal if things had been handled properly.

“I don’t know what support I got there,” Vinesh said in a local news channel. “PT Usha Madam visited me at the hospital. One photo was clicked…As you said, in politics a lot happens behind closed doors. Similarly, politics happened there (in Paris) as well. That’s why I was heartbroken. Otherwise, many people are saying ‘Don’t leave wrestling’. For what should I continue? There is politics everywhere.”

“You are on a hospital bed, where you don’t know what’s happening in life outside, you are going through one of the worst phases of your life. At that place, to show everyone you are standing with me, aap bina bataye photo kheench rahe ho, fir social media pe daal ke bol rahe ho hum saath mein khade hain (clicked a photo without telling me and then putting it on social media to say you are standing with me). “That’s not how you show support (pretending to). What was it more than (posturing)!”

After she was disqualified, Phogat decided to retire from wrestling.

“Mother, wrestling beat me, I lost. Your dream and my courage are all broken. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt,” Vinesh wrote on her X account announcing her retirement.

Phogat has joined Congress ahead of the Haryana Assembly elections alongside Bajrang Punia.