In 2023, Vinesh Phogat, along with other Indian wrestlers, protested against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India. They accused him of sexually harassing female athletes. Phogat and her colleagues were detained when they tried to march to the new Parliament building during its inauguration, and the police filed charges against them for disrupting public order.
Now, in 2024, Vinesh Phogat has made a remarkable achievement by reaching the Gold medal match in the 50kg freestyle wrestling category at the Olympics. She won her semifinal match decisively and is set to compete for the Gold medal.
Celebrities have widely praised her accomplishment. Taapsee Pannu, Rajkummar Rao, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Ayushmann Khurrana, and Riteish Deshmukh have all congratulated Phogat on her success. However, actor Kangana Ranaut’s post caught attention by suggesting Phogat should be thankful to the government for her chance to compete in the Olympics, despite her earlier protests against it.