The Federal visits Haryana's Balali, where every street boasts a wrestling champion despite threadbare sporting infrastructure; the villagers say Vinesh deserves better
Balali, a nondescript village 6,500 km away from The Eiffel Tower, is in deep mourning.
It's the hometown of freestyle wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024 since she was found to weigh 100 gm over the allowed range.
Phogat's appeal against her disqualification has been accepted by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and their decision will be announced before the end of the Games.
The ancestral home of Vinesh Phogat in Balali village, Haryana. All photos: Sat Singh
But none of this is consoling her townspeople. Grieving the loss of her potential gold medal, the residents of Balali have abstained from eating, drinking, and even celebrating the Teej festival.
Conspiracy theories
Balali is a village renowned for its women wrestlers, with international medallists emerging from every corner.
Villagers waiting for their wards at the akhara, or wrestling arena.
Kartar Singh, 65, sat at the chaupal (village square), puffing on his hookah near Vinesh Phogat's ancestral home. "Vinesh deserved the gold, but she didn’t get the support she needed from the Indian staff at the Olympics," he said with a heavy heart.
"She didn’t lose the gold medal — she was forced out by a conspiracy. We can't accept that she was disqualified for being just 100 gm overweight. What were her dietician, coaches, and support staff doing?" asked Kartar, who owns 10 acres of agricultural land. He looked frustrated and upset.
Balali, home of women wrestlers
"We won't believe anything until Vinesh returns and shares her side of the story," Kartar told The Federal. "She’s an inspiration to the entire women’s wrestling community, and her decision to quit could have a significant impact on young wrestlers."
In another corner of the chaupal, Jagat Singh, Vinesh's grandfather, insisted on sharing his thoughts despite his hearing difficulties.
"I’ve watched Vinesh, Geeta, Babita, Priyanka, and Sangeeta grow from being ordinary girls to elite world-class wrestlers. Among them, Vinesh is the grittiest, the most determined, and fierce — like a tigress. We saw her standing up during the women wrestlers' protest, and now at the Paris Olympics," the octogenarian said.
Mother fainted
The village has a deep connection with Vinesh, Kartar told The Federal.
"We don’t see her just as our daughter but as the daughter of 1.3 billion people. The whole of India was rooting for her. If she was indeed overweight, why was she allowed to compete in three bouts, qualifying for the final? We don’t buy this theory of being overweight — it feels like a larger conspiracy," he said.
When Vinesh’s mother heard about her daughter's struggle through the night to bring down her weight, she fainted, said Kartar. “She has been sent to Vinesh’s in-laws’ home in Sonipat for care,” he added.
As this writer walked through Balali, with its nearly 500 houses dominated by the Jat community of Phogat gotra, the disappointment among the residents was palpable. Residents could be heard saying, "If you had come after she won a gold medal, the village would be celebrating differently today."
Weight is critical
Daya Kaur, the mother of iconic wrestlers Geeta and Babita Phogat, whose role was portrayed by Sakshi Tanwar in the Bollywood film Dangal, has been staying with Vinesh Phogat's family during this difficult time.
"The family is in deep sorrow, with everyone in tears," she shared.
Daya Kaur, mother of Geeta and Babita Phogat.
Reflecting on the situation, Daya Kaur noted, "Everyone has their own opinions about what happened to Vinesh at the Paris Olympics, but not everyone understands the wrestling rules. This was simply a case of being slightly overweight. She was found to be 100 gm over the 50 kg limit, leading to her disqualification. Vinesh is an exceptional wrestler, but maintaining weight is crucial in this sport."
She also revealed that Vinesh's family, including her brother, sister-in-law, and cousins, are so devastated that they aren’t eating properly.
"They're not even engaging with the media that has flocked to the village. It’s a natural reaction when someone with such potential faces a setback like this," Daya Kaur added.
'Like raising an elephant'
Daya Kaur emphasised that for wrestlers, the real challenge is not just the bout itself, but managing their weight within strict categories.
"Vinesh usually competes in the 53 kg category but had to drop down to 50 kg for the Paris Olympics. She worked hard to maintain the weight and performed incredibly well, but perhaps luck wasn’t on her side when she was disqualified for just 100 gm," she said.
Speaking on the demanding nature of preparing an Olympic-level wrestler, she remarked, "Training an Olympic athlete is like raising an elephant — it requires daily attention to diet, facilities, and rigorous training. My husband, Dronacharya awardee Mahabir Phogat, has trained six girls to compete at the international level."
'Cannot let Vinesh quit'
Mahabir Phogat, who rose to prominence after his daughters Geeta and Babita won medals at the Commonwealth Games, a story that was later immortalised in the film Dangal, spoke to The Federal. Bollywood actor Aamir Khan had essayed the role of Mahabir Phogat in the hit film.
Expressing his shock at how Vinesh missed out on a medal due to the disqualification, he said: “And, then came the news that Vinesh has decided to quit wrestling. Let her come back to India — I will speak with Vinesh and her in-laws and ask her to reconsider her decision. It may be a knee-jerk reaction after what happened, but she has received overwhelming support, and she can come back stronger,” Mahabir added.
He firmly stated that the wrestling community would not let her quit now. “What she missed in Paris, she will surely achieve at the next Olympics for India,” he said confidently.
Lack of facilities
While Balali has produced some top wrestlers, it hasn't translated into any robust sporting infrastructure for the village.
The only akhada (wrestling arena) in the village of the Phogat sisters is in a state of disrepair. Vineet, a young wrestler at the village akhada, said that every youngster here dreams of becoming like Vinesh Phogat.
Budding wrestlers at Balali village in Haryana.
“There are about 20 young wrestlers who train here, but we have no facilities — no electricity, power, drinking water...even the mats were donated by local residents,” he lamented.
He shared that they, along with their families, watched all of Vinesh Phogat’s bouts at the Paris Olympics and were heartbroken when she was disqualified and couldn’t compete for the gold.
“Vinesh didi came here before the Olympics and encouraged us to keep fighting, no matter the challenges. Today, we want to tell Vinesh didi not to quit wrestling and to stand strong like a rock for aspiring wrestlers like us,” he added.
