New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi always makes it a point to speak with Indian sportspersons who excel in international events. He also invites them to his official residence to know their experiences and encourage them.
Hence, many were surprised that the PM did not call Vinesh Phogat after she sealed a gold or silver in Paris by becoming India’s first female wrestler to make an Olympic final, or when she was disqualified from the event the day after for weighing in 100 grams more than the permissible limit.
It emerges now that Modi did wish to speak to Vinesh after the Paris Olympics heartbreak, but the wrestler refused.
Vinesh, who retired after returning home, and is now contesting the Haryana assembly elections as a Congress candidate from Julana constituency, revealed that she did not want her emotions and efforts to be leveraged for political gain.
“The call had come (from PM Modi) but I refused to speak. The call did not come directly to me but Indian officials who were there informed me that he (Modi) wanted to talk. I was ready. However, they put conditions — no one from my team would be present, and two people from their side would record the conversation for social media. I didn’t want my emotions and hard work to be made fun of on social media,” Vinesh told Lallantop.
The wrestler, whose appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for a shared silver – since she had entered the final – was turned down, said she would have appreciated a genuine conversation with PM Modi without any conditions to publicise it.
“If he truly cared about athletes, he could have called without recording it, and I would have been grateful. Maybe he knows if he spoke with Vinesh she will ask about the last two years. Maybe that’s why I was instructed that there will be no phone from my side because they can edit (video) from their end but I will not edit. I will post the original video,” was how Vinesh explained her decision.
Vinesh and Sakshi Malik, who staged months-long protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh for allegedly sexually assaulting some of the wrestlers, had voiced their disappointment that the PM was silent on the issue.