Making her first appearance in two years, Vinesh exited the 53kg category after her loss to Meenakshi, yet she expressed determination about her future in the sport.
“I will come back soon,” Vinesh declared after the match, gesturing towards the wrestling mat.
Speaking to the media later, she stated, “I have not failed. I was battling an entire system. I was on one side and everyone else was on the other,” a reference to her ongoing conflict with the Wrestling Federation of India.
Vinesh kicked off her campaign strongly, securing a convincing 7-1 victory over Jyoti in the first round. She then overcame a tough challenge from Nishu to progress to the semi-finals, where Meenakshi halted her comeback.
Earlier this month, the WFI had rendered Phogat ineligible for domestic events until June 26, citing the six-month notice period required for athletes returning from retirement under anti-doping regulations.
However, a resolute Phogat appeared at the National Open Ranking Tournament in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh.
Phogat had taken part in a protest by women wrestlers in 2023 against alleged sexual harassment by the former WFI president and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
In August 2024, Phogat faced disqualification from the 50-kg category Olympic finals for being 100 grams over the weight limit during the morning weigh-in.
(With PTI inputs)
