Vinesh Phogat is still an inspiration: Onir

Filmmaker Onir, who has been a vocal supporter of Vinesh Phogat ever since she was at the forefront of the wrestlers’ protests against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was the president of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) at that time, tells us, “This is a shame and it’s so heartbreaking. All I can say is that she is still an inspiration for all of us. This is really unfortunate, and I feel that to a certain extent, it’s unfair too. They could have given her a bit more time to sort this. That’s what sportsmanship is all about, being fair.”

He adds, “Still, what Vinesh has achieved is incredible. It’s heartening that even after the kind of abuses that were hurled at her and constant trolling, she overcame all the odds to come up with a historic performance. Wrestling is a demanding sport and apart from physical strength, mental health of wrestlers is equally important. She was under a lot of stress and what is sad is that even now, those who trolled her don’t have the humility to admit that what they did to her was wrong. Did the government really support her, as some on social media are claiming, during the protests? I certainly don’t think so. I hope that at least now, she will get justice. She wasn’t fighting just for herself, but for the future generation of women wrestlers too and I feel her fight against all odds will inspire them. In Haryana, where Vinesh hails from, women athletes have to fight a patriarchal mindset and gender norms to pursue any sport. Her journey will empower young girls and it sends a clear message to everyone-people should always speak up when they feel something is wrong and not let anything stop them from pursuing their dreams.”