Vinesh Phogat knee injury opens the door for Antim Panghal at Asian Games

Vinesh Phogat announced on social media that a left knee surgery, sustained in training, would not heal in time for her participation at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. The wrestler revealed she picked up the injury on August 13 and will undergo surgery on August 17 in Mumbai. Phogat added she hopes to return in time for the preparations of the 2024 Paris Olympics. She has not competed at any tournament his year with her focus being the fight against outgoing Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who she, and other wrestlers, have accused of sexual harassment and abuse. Read | Vinesh Phogat withdraws from Asian Games due to knee injury, will undergo surgery The two-time World Championship bronze medallist was given a free pass into the Asian Games team by WFI’s ad-hoc committee. The exemption afforded to World Championship medallists meant she and Bajrang Punia progressed to the Asian Games squad. “A couple of days ago on 13th August 2023, I injured my left knee in training. After doing the scans and examinations, the doctor has said that unfortunately, surgery is the only option for me to recover," said Phogat on social media.

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— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) August 15, 2023

“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, have informed all concerned authorities immediately so that the Reserve player can be sent to the Asian Games,” Vinesh added. The knee injury brings back memories of the 2016 Rio Olympics when Phogat suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in her right knee during her quarter-final bout. The brutal blow ended her campaign in Brazil. The injury took five months to heal. The wrestler has also undergone surgeries to her right elbow twice (in September 2021 and this year in June). As per reports, Vinesh Phogat’s latest injury is to the left knee and is a ‘complete tear’ to the ACL and partial tear of the lateral collateral ligament. If the recovery time from 2016 is an indication, Phogat will miss the World Championships trials. What does Vinesh Phogat’s absence mean? Vinesh Phogat’s absence opens the door for Antim Panghal to slot right into the Indian squad. The U-20 World Champion had won the 53kg trial during the two-day trials in New Delhi on July 22 and 23. Panghal, the Hisar-native, had gone to court alongside Sujeet Kalkal challenging the ad-hoc committee’s decision to give Phogat and Punia an exemption. But on the day of the trials, Delhi High Court ruled in favour of Phogat and Punia. Couple of kilometres away, Panghal won all three of her bouts to make herself a standby wrestler for the Asian Games. She was told that if Phogat pulled out, which she has, Panghal would come into the squad to travel to China.