Olympian Vinesh Phogat Joins Farmers' Protest Days After Arriving in India from Paris

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, a prominent figure in Indian sports, made headlines again, this time for her support of the ongoing farmers' protest at Shambhu border. Phogat's arrival at the protest site comes shortly after her return from the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she faced a series of setbacks.

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Vinesh Phogat joins farmers' protest

Vinesh Phogat joined the farmers' protest as the agitation completed 200 days on Saturday. Upon joining the protest, Phogat urged the government to listen to farmers' demands. She said that the country won't progress if people sit on the streets for so many days.  

"It has been 200 days since they are sitting here. It is painful to see this. All of them are citizens of this country. Farmers run the country. Nothing is possible without them, not even athletes - if they don't feed us, we won't be able to compete. Many a time we are helpless and can't do anything, we represent the country at such big levels but we can't do anything for our family even when we see them sad. I urge the Government that they should listen. They had admitted their mistake last time, they should fulfill the promises that they made. The country won't progress, if people sit on streets like this," Vinesh Phogat said. 

Vinesh Phogat, who was part of the Indian contingent at the Paris Games, competed in the women’s 50kg wrestling category. Despite a strong performance throughout the tournament, Phogat's Olympic journey ended in disappointment. She had reached the final but was disqualified at the last moment for being 100 grams overweight. 

The disqualification effectively stripped her of the chance to vie for a medal, a blow that was exacerbated by the subsequent decision of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Switzerland, which did not overturn the disqualification. In the wake of this setback, Phogat announced her retirement from competitive wrestling.

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However, Vinesh Phogat's return to India was marked by a shift in focus from personal struggles to broader social issues. She joined the farmers' protest at Shambhu border, a movement that recently marked its 200th day of agitation. Farmers, demanding a legal guarantee for the MSP on all crops, have been protesting at the Shambhu border since February 13, after authorities blocked their march to Delhi.