Times been tough for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games champion Vinesh Phogat after her Olympics exit. She was banned by WFI on account of indiscipline for allegedly refusing to train with the Indian wrestlers in Tokyo. The suspension was later lifted.

After the Olympics, Phogat tried to make a comeback but was plagued by injuries and discomfort. She also took time to recover from an elbow surgery. At this year’s Yasar Dogu 2022 ranking series in Istanbul in Turkey in February, Phogat returned to competitive action for the first time after her quarter-final loss at the Tokyo Olympics.

In a special chat with NNIS Sports, Vinesh Phogat says: “We are in a field where we cannot escape from criticism whether we are winning or losing. If people do not criticize us, then we may also not get motivation. I think this is a part of life and you should know how to deal with it.”