Aug 07, 2024 03:37 PM IST
Shock and gloom after Vinesh’s uncle Mahavir Phogat, the family patriarch and Dronacharya awardee, gets call from son-in-law and wrestler Bajrang Punia. “We had no words, we started crying, the country is grief-stricken,” says Mahavir, adding, “We will focus on 2028. I’ve been waiting for an Olympic medal for 24 years.”
There was excitement in the air on Wednesday morning at the Phogat household at Balali village in Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana till a phone call from Paris about Vinesh’s disqualification from the 50kg freestyle wrestling final at the 2024 Olympics after being found overweight by 100 grams left her family in shocked and crestfallen.
Vinesh’s uncle Mahavir Phogat, the family patriarch, who received a call from his son-in-law and wrestler Bajrang Punia, put up a brave front as he told mediapersons, who had gathered in large numbers, “I received a phone call from Bajrang and he said ‘Papa, Vinesh disqualify ho gayi.’ I had no words and we started crying. The whole country is grief-stricken that Vinesh could not bring a medal for the country.”
The Dronacharya awardee said: “Despite her best efforts, Vinesh could not shed the excess weight. She exceeded 100-150 grams of weight but we can’t change the rules. There is no solution to this. I will ask Bajrang, daughter Sangeeta and niece Vinesh to focus on the 2028 Olympics for the country. I have been waiting for an Olympic medal for 24 years.”
He said relatives and villagers had started gathering at his home since Wednesday morning as everyone was hopeful Vinesh would win the gold as she had defeated stronger wrestlers in earlier matches.
Vinesh’s father-in-law Rajpal Rathee alleged a conspiracy to stop Vinesh from winning the medal. “If she had excess weight, why was she not given 10 minutes to reduce the extra weight. She has worked extremely hard for years to reach this stage and now she has been disqualified. We suspect politics behind this decision. The Indian government and Indian Olympic Association should take this up strongly with the International Olympic Committee. How can it disqualify a player at the final stage?” he said.
Sirsa Congress MP Kumari Selja said: “This is the Olympics. Why did Vinesh’s coaching staff not take the matter seriously? The Indian government and Indian Olympic management committee need to answer. How can such things happen at this level?”
Vinesh had made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final at an Olympics. However, her dreams were shattered on Wednesday when she was found overweight by 100 grams ahead of her final bout against American wrestler Sarah Hildebrandt at the Champ-de-Mars Arena.