Charkhi Dadri (Haryana) [India], August 7 (ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann raised questions about the members of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) after Vinesh Phogat tipped the scales above the 50 kg mark and was disqualified.
Vinesh was one win away from clinching India’s first gold medal at the Paris Olympics. She was set to face United States wrestler Sarah Ann Hildebrandt on Wednesday for the gold medal on Wednesday night.
She was disqualified from the event due to her weight being more than the category. Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Contingent, Doctor Dinshaw Pardiwala, revealed that Vinesh was found to be 2.7 kg more than the allowed weight.
Bhagwant Mann, who was present in Charkhi Dadri, raised his voice over the IOA members who monitored Vinesh’s weight during the event.
“I don’t want to connect with this politics. But please tell me, have the members of the Indian Olympic Association gone there on holiday? Indian Olympic Association did not object to this even once. There was no tweet (from PM Modi) when she (Vinesh Phogat) reached the final, but a tweet was posted when she was disqualified. Come on!” Bhagwant Mann told reporters.
“To check her weight was the work of her coaches and physiotherapists. Now, the decision has come. This injustice should have been stopped. Did they (The Centre) fix anyone’s accountability at the time when our women wrestlers went to immerse their medals in the river. Such mistakes are happening on such a high level. Coaches and physiotherapists are paid in lakhs. Have they gone there for holidays?” he added.
Vinesh’s uncle Mahavir Phogat also broke down, as India’s chances of laying hands on the fourth medal of this Olympics were shattered by Vinesh’s disqualification.
“I have nothing to say. The entire country has expected Gold…Rules are there, but if a wrestler is 50-100 grammes overweight, they are usually allowed to play. I will ask the people of the country not to despair, one day, she will bring a medal for sure. I’ll prepare her for the next Olympics,” Mahavir Singh Phogat said while speaking to ANI.
Following her disqualification, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha confirmed that the Wrestling Federation of India filed an appeal to the United World Wrestling to reconsider the decision to disqualify Vinesh and said in a video released by the IOA, “I am shocked and disappointed at the disqualification of Vinesh from the Olympic Games Women’s Wrestling 50kg class competition. I met Vinesh at the Olympic Village Polyclinic a short while ago and assured her of the complete support of the Indian Olympic Association, the Government of India and the whole country. We are providing Vinesh with all medical and emotional support.”
“The Wrestling Federation of India has filed an appeal to UWW to reconsider the decision to disqualify Vinesh, and IOA is following that up in the strongest possible manner. I am aware of the relentless efforts made by Vinesh, the medical team, led by Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala and the Chef-de-Mission Gagan Narang throughout the night to ensure that she could meet the competition requirements. The IOA is taking every step to ensure that the morale of the contingent remains high. We are sure all Indians will stand with Vinesh and the entire Indian contingent,” PT Usha added. (ANI)
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