Vinesh should not have joined politics now, says wrestler uncle

Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat should have aimed for an Olympic gold in 2028 and not joined politics now, her uncle and wrestling coach Mahavir Phogat said on Tuesday.

“It was my wish that she (must) focus on her game and win a gold medal in the 2028 Olympics. I feel she should not have joined politics at this stage. I wanted her to continue wrestling," Mahavir Phogat told PTI.

I wasn’t consulted: Mahavir

Asked if Vinesh consulted him before joining the Congress party, he said: “It is her decision... These days children take their own decisions."

The Congress has fielded Vinesh from Julana constituency for the October 5 Haryana Assembly elections.

Vinesh and Olympian wrestler Bajrang Punia, who were in the wrestlers’ protest against former Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over sexual misconduct, joined the Congress on Friday.

Mahavir, whose Olympian daughter Babita Phogat joined the Bharatiya Janata Paty (BJP) ahead of the 2019 Assembly election, said the BJP will retain power in the state.

He said that when he spoke with Vinesh recently, she had no intentions of joining politics.

Vinesh became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympics final, where she was disqualified in Paris after being found overweight by about 100 grams in her 50-kg category weigh-in.

‘BJP will win Haryana battle’

Vinesh subsequently announced her retirement from the sport.

On the Congress claim that the BJP would be voted out in Haryana, he said: "When results are declared (on October 8), you will see. The BJP will be back in power.”