Vinesh Phogat has opened up on her sufferings in Tokyo Olympics and has highlighted her mental depression in an explosive column.
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Vinesh Phogat had a traumatic experience in Tokyo Olympics 2020. The wrestler, who was touted as one of the ultimate medal hopefuls, crashed out in the opening rounds. The development was a major surprise and criticism came from all quarters. Vinesh Phogat, who had suffered an injured knee that ended her medal hopes in Rio Olympics 2016, had now suffered another disappointment. In the aftermath of her loss in Tokyo Olympics 2020, Vinesh Phogat has now penned an emotional note highlighting her problems.
In a column written in the Indian Express, Vinesh Phogat has opened up on her mental struggles and how things went horribly wrong in Tokyo Olympics 2020. The column revealed her ultimate fight against mental depression, how she made a recovery from coronavirus twice, and how everything that could go wrong in Tokyo Olympics went wrong.
In the column, Vinesh Phogat revealed her massive fight against mental depression and also showed a mirror to the rest of the country on their outlook.
“I am an emotional person. When in 2019 I changed weight, I was diagnosed with depression for three months. I was in Spain. I felt something was wrong and I never slept. For days I would be awake. I came back to Lucknow, it became worse. If a coach even spoke in a slightly high tone, I would start crying. As an athlete, the mental pressure is so much that we are always on that thin line. When it crosses, we are done. Do you think doing meditation and talking to a psychologist is enough? Nothing is enough. Now, I find it difficult to cry. I have zero mental strength. We celebrate Simone Biles as she said that I am not mentally prepared to perform at the Olympics. Try just saying that in India. Forget pulling out of wrestling, just try saying that you are not ready,” Vinesh Phogat wrote.
The last few lines highlight the selective nature of Indian society. Even today, it takes only elite athletes to reveal that depression is a major issue. The majoritarian outlook of Indian society is that depression is not a major issue and those who highlight is are considered weak mentally. The perception of mental health still has to undergo a sea change in India.
Vinesh Phogat opened up on her struggles with coronavirus and how it has impacted her. During the wrestling bout in Tokyo Olympics 2020, Vinesh did not have enough strength. The recent experiences have traumatized her to such an extent that she may not have the ability to come back on the mat.
“Since I got COVID the first time (August 2020), I can’t digest protein. One year and I have had no protein in my body. It doesn’t stay inside. When I came back from Kazakhstan after Asian Championships, I fell ill again. I was tested positive for COVID for the second time which I contacted in Almaty. I recovered and flew to Bulgaria. A few days later, my family back home tested positive. Imagine how I have gotten back to this stage of the Olympics. I don’t know when I will return (to the mat). Maybe I won’t. I feel I was better off with that broken leg. I had something to correct. Now my body is not broken, but I’m truly broken,” Vinesh said in the column.
The coronavirus pandemic seems to have hit Vinesh hard. After being tested positive for coronavirus twice, her protein intake has been severely restricted. Without protein, the body cannot get much energy. It is in this backdrop that Vinesh’s performance should be looked at. She looked slow, sluggish and lacking energy as compared to previous instances. But, the abuse that she has received is something which is shocking to say the least.
In one of the bizarre instances for Vinesh Phogat, she revealed that she was assigned a physio from the shooting team. Wrestling and shooting are two different disciplines altogether and the physio outlook is different. But, the situation was such that Vinesh Phogat had to fend for herself.
“I was reducing weight and was assigned a physio from the shooting team. She did not understand my body. My sport has very specific demands. She couldn’t help me with what my regular physio used to. Last day, when I am reducing weight, am I supposed to explain things to her on how things are done in wrestling, or focus on myself? It’s unfair on both of us. On the day of the bout, I was not getting the feel. After the weight cut, I warmed up, I still didn’t feel it. I had not eaten the day before the bout, I drank some nutrition but I felt anxious and woke up with a feeling of vomiting but I could not. I was in pain. There was nothing in my body. Ultimately I did vomit,” Vinesh Phogat said.
The combination of so many factors has resulted in a sad situation regarding Vinesh Phogat. The failure of Tokyo Olympics 2020 and the surrounding situation which has been revealed might scar the ace wrestler for a long time. One wonders if Vinesh can even come to the mat now for Paris 2024.
