Indian wrestling star and Olympic gold medallist Vinesh Phogat has officially announced her return to competitive wrestling, months after stepping away from the sport following the controversy at the Paris Olympics 2024.

In a heartfelt social media post, Vinesh shared the emotional journey behind her decision to take a break — and what ultimately brought her back.

“People kept asking if Paris was the end. For a long time, I didn't have the answer,” she wrote. “I needed to step away from the mat, from the pressure, from the expectations, even from my own ambitions. For the first time in years, I allowed myself to breathe. I took time to understand the weight of my journey the highs, the heartbreaks, the sacrifices, the versions of me the world never saw. And somewhere in that reflection, I found the truth, I still love this sport. I still want to compete.”

Describing her time away as a period of deep introspection, the 31-year-old added that the fire within her “never left,” but had been buried under “exhaustion and noise.”

She also revealed a special new source of inspiration for her comeback: her son.

“This time, I’m not walking alone my son is joining my team, my biggest motivation, my little cheerleader on this road to the LA Olympics,” she wrote.

Paris 2024 controversy

Vinesh had withdrawn from wrestling after a dramatic episode at the Paris Olympics, where she was disqualified on the morning of the gold-medal bout for being 100 grams over the weight limit, despite having already reached the final. The decision ended her medal hopes and generated widespread debate across the sporting community.