PremiumWrestler Vinesh Phogat forced to withdraw from Asian Games 2023 due to knee injury
Vinesh Phogat said she was disappointed as she won't be able to defend her title in this edition.
Last Updated: 06.36 PM, Aug 15, 2023
India's ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been forced to pull out of the upcoming Asian Games 2023 due to a knee injury she suffered on August 13. Vinesh took to X (Twitter) on Tuesday to break the news and said she will undergo surgery on August 17.
"A couple of days ago, I injured my knee in training. After doing the scans, doctors said surgery is the only option for me. I will be undergoing surgery on August 17 in Mumbai," she said.
The 2018 Asian Games gold medallist said she was mighty disappointed as she won't be able to defend her title in this edition in Hangzhou starting September 23.
"I will be undergoing surgery on 17th August in Mumbai. It was my dream to retain my Asian Games Gold medal for India which I won in 2018 at Jakarta. But unfortunately, this injury has ruled out my participation now. I have informed concerned authorities immediately so that the Reserve player can be sent to the Asian Games.
"I would like to request all the fans to continue supporting me so that I can make a strong comeback on the mat soon and prepare for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Your support gives me a lot of strength," the two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist added.
As a result, Vinesh's prospects in the World Championships are also dimmed, with the trial for the event set for August 25-26 in Patiala.
In place of Vinesh, the 19-year-old Antim Panghal, who had emerged victorious in the 53kg trials, will now step in to represent India in the Asian Games. Panghal is currently in Jordan participating in the U-20 World Championship.
Earlier, the decision to grant Vinesh and Bajrang Punia exemptions from the Asian Games trials sparked controversy within the wrestling community. This move faced criticism from a majority of wrestlers, prompted by the ad-hoc panel's choice.
Panghal and Sujit Kalkal, who secured the trial win in Bajrang's 65kg category, took Vinesh and Bajrang Punia to court over the direct entries given to them for the Games. However, their plea was dismissed by the High Court.
Following this, the IOA-appointed committee opted against granting any wrestler an exemption for the World Championships trials.
Notably, both Vinesh and Bajrang had not confirmed their participation in the World Championships.
Scheduled to begin on September 16, the World Championships will serve as the initial qualification event for the 2024 Paris Olympics.