"Clicked Picture, Only Pretended To Support": Vinesh Phogat Slams PT Usha

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who had a heartbreaking exit from Paris Olympics 2024 over failed weigh-in, has made an explosive revelation from her meeting with PT Usha, the president of Indian Olympics Association (IOA). Vinesh had fallen ill after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 53kg freestyle wrestling final, over increased weight, and was admitted to a poly-clinic in the Olympics village. PT Usha shared a picture on social media where she could be seen interacting with Vinesh in the clinic, but the wrestler has claimed that the photo was clicked without informing her.

Vinesh, who recently joined politics by signing up with the Indian National Congress, claims that she received no support from PT Usha, although the latter claimed that she stood with the heartbroken wrestler during that tough time on social media.

"I don't know what support I got there," Vinesh said during a chat with a local news channel. "PT Usha madam visited me at the hospital. One photo was clicked...Like 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 a lot of people are saying 'don't leave wrestling'. For what should I continue? There is politics everywhere."

Vinesh, furious with PT Usha's decision to share the picture on social media claiming that she stands in support of the wrestler, said that this wasn't the right way to show support, and was mere pretension.

"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, just 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)!"