In an open letter posted on social media, Vinesh admitted that her recent retirement announcement came under ‘unfortunate circumstances’.
Vinesh was disqualified from the 50kg category final at the Paris Olympics due to a marginal weight infraction which cost her a chance to fight for a gold.
She then appealed against her disqualification in the court of Arbitration for Sport wich was dismissed by the body.
In an emotional post on social media, Vinesh shared her childhood dream, the hardships she faced after losing her father and also put on record the contribution made by people in her extraordinary journey that ended in heartbreak in Paris.
“….all I want to say is that we did not give up, our efforts did not stop, and we did not surrender but the clock stopped and the time was not fair. So was my fate,” she wrote, referring to the work she did with her team before the second day weigh-in.
“To my team, my fellow Indians and my family, it feels like: the goal that we were working towards and what we had planned to achieve is unfinished, that something might always remain missing, and that things might never be the same again.
“Maybe under different circumstances, I could see myself playing till 2032, because the fight in me and wrestling in me will always be there. I can’t predict what the future holds for me, and what awaits me in this journey next, but I am sure that I will continue to fight always for what I believe in and for the right thing,” she wrote.
Vinesh’s disqualification came after she was found to be 100 grams overweight during the second weigh-in on the morning of her gold-medal match.
Her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to overturn the disqualification and her request for a shared silver medal were both dismissed.
The decision left Vinesh disheartened, prompting her to announce her retirement from the sport, stating that she no longer had the strength to continue.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), led by President PT Usha, expressed “shock and disappointment” at the CAS decision, calling it a significant blow to Vinesh and the larger sporting community.
The IOA criticized the stringent regulations that led to Vinesh’s disqualification, arguing that they failed to account for the physiological and psychological pressures athletes endure, particularly female athletes.
Despite the setback, the IOA remains committed to supporting Vinesh, exploring further legal avenues to ensure her case receives the attention it deserves.
As Vinesh returns home from Paris, her future in wrestling remains uncertain, but her resolve to fight for justice and fairness in sports is unwavering.
