Vinesh Phogat may contest against cousin Babita in Haryana polls: Report

India's top wrestler, Vinesh Phogat, is reportedly considering running for the upcoming Haryana Assembly elections, according to sources close to her. This comes despite Vinesh's previous statements indicating her intention to stay away from active politics. Political parties are reportedly trying to persuade her to enter the political arena, according to a report by IANS.

Currently, the question of which political party she may align with remains unanswered.

Sources close to the Phogat family suggested that the upcoming elections could see a notable wrestling face-off, stating, "It’s likely that in the Haryana assembly elections, you will see Vinesh Phogat vs. Babita Phogat and Bajrang Punia vs. Yogeshwar Dutt." 

Vinesh recently faced disappointment at the Paris Olympics, where she was disqualified from the women's freestyle 50kg category final for being 100 grams overweight, missing the chance to secure a gold medal.

Upon her return to India, Vinesh received a warm welcome at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, where she was greeted with garlands by Congress MP Deepender Hooda and his family.

As Vinesh exited the airport, she was met with enthusiastic cheers from fans, family, and friends, who had gathered in large numbers despite the early hour. The overwhelming support moved the wrestling icon to tears.

Among the first to greet her was fellow wrestler Sakshi Malik, who retired last year, along with Bajrang Punia. In an emotional moment, Vinesh and Sakshi embraced, both visibly moved as they shared their experiences of overcoming significant career challenges.

"Our fight has not ended, and it will continue. I pray to God that the truth will prevail," Vinesh stated during her emotional homecoming.

In an emotional message shared on social media on Friday, Vinesh expressed her deep sorrow over missing the Olympic podium, linking her personal disappointment to the broader struggle for women's rights in India—an issue she has passionately advocated for during her protests against the former wrestling federation chief.

Vinesh also hinted at a potential return to competitive wrestling, leaving the door open for a comeback despite her earlier decision to retire following her disqualification at the Paris Olympics.

Unfortunately, her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a joint silver medal was dismissed earlier this week, further complicating her Olympic journey.