“There Is So Much More To Say” -Vinesh Phogat’s Open Letter

In a heartfelt open letter Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has hinted that she might not quit the sport as her goal is still “unfinished”. She posted this letter on social media on Friday August 16.

The post came a week after she was disqualified in the gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics, because she was 100 grams over the stipulated weight in the 50 kilogram weight class.

“There is so much more to say and so much more to tell but words will never be enough and maybe I will speak again when the time feels right. On the night of 6th August and the morning of 7th August, 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.

“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.

The letter also thanked many of those who had helped her in her journey, what stood out was the part she wrote about Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, who was the Indian contingent’s Chief Medical Officer at the Paris Olympics.

“Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala has operated on me not once but thrice (both knees and one elbow) and has shown me how resilient the human body can be. His dedication, kindness and honesty towards his work and towards Indian Sports is something no one will doubt including

God.

“I’m forever grateful to him and his entire team for their work and dedication. As a part of the Indian contingent, having him present at the Paris Olympics was a god’s gift for all fellow athletes,” wrote Vinesh Phogat in her letter.

She also thanked her coach Woller Akos, averring that she found the best coach in him. “Woller Akos. Anything I write about him will always be less. In the world of Women's Wrestling, I have found him to be the best coach, best guide and best human, able to handle any situation with his calmness, patience and confidence.

“He does not have the word impossible in his dictionary and he is always ready with a plan whenever we face a tough situation on or off the mat. There were times when I doubted myself, and was shifting away from my internal focus and he would know exactly what to say and how to bring me back on my path.

“He was more than a coach, my family in Wrestling. He was never hungry to take credit for my victory and success, always humble and taking a step back as soon as his work was done on the mat.

“But I want to give him the recognition he much deserves, whatever I do will never be enough to thank him for his sacrifices, for the time he spent away from his family. I can never repay him for the time lost with his two small boys.

“I wonder if they know what their father has done for me and if they understand how important his contributions have been. All I can do today is tell the world that if it hadn't been for you I would not have done on the mat what I have done,” she added.

Phogat’s plea with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a joint silver medal was dismissed.

While the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has said that it is exploring further options, the dismissal brings to an end Phogat’s efforts to try to retain the medal.