Vinesh Phogat Reverses Retirement, Says She Is ‘Stepping Back Toward LA28’

New Delhi — India’s star wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who had announced her retirement shortly after being disqualified from the Paris 2024 Olympics, has now withdrawn that decision and declared her return to the mat. She confirmed that her new focus is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

In a statement posted on social media on Friday, Vinesh wrote that she “still wants to compete,” driven by “a heart that’s unafraid and a spirit that refuses to bow.”

“People kept asking if Paris was the end. For a long time, I didn’t have the answer,” she said. “I needed to step away from the mat, from the pressure, from the expectations, even from my own ambitions.”

Vinesh explained that for the first time in years, she allowed herself space to breathe and reflect on the magnitude of her journey — the victories, the disappointments, and the unseen struggles. Through this introspection, she realised that her passion for wrestling had not faded.

“In that silence, I found something I’d forgotten: the fire never left. It was only buried under exhaustion and noise. The discipline, the routine, the fight — it’s in my system. No matter how far I walked away, a part of me stayed on the mat.”

Announcing her comeback, she said: “So here I am, stepping back toward LA28 with a heart that's unafraid and a spirit that refuses to bow. And this time, I’m not walking alone; my son is joining my team — my biggest motivation and my little cheerleader on this road to the LA Olympics.”

Vinesh created history in Paris by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final, highlighted by a remarkable victory over Japan’s four-time world champion Yui Susaki.

However, her comeback story — following a disappointing run at the Tokyo Olympics — ended in heartbreak when she was disqualified for being overweight during the second weigh-in on the morning of the final.

She appealed her disqualification before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking a joint silver medal in the 50 kg category, but the Ad-Hoc Division of CAS dismissed her petition, ending her hopes of securing her first Olympic medal.

Subsequently, Vinesh, along with fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia, joined the Congress ahead of the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections. She went on to win the Julana seat in Jind, defeating the BJP’s Yogesh Bajrangi.

With inputs from IANS