Vinesh Phogat retirement: Bajrang Punia supports Indian grappler with bold statement

Bajrang Punia supports Indian grappler Vinesh Phogat with bold statement. (PTI Photo)

Ace Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from the sport on Thursday. This decision followed her disqualification from the gold medal bout at the Paris Olympic Games a day earlier, when it was found that her weight exceeded the 50kg limit by 100 grams. As a devastated Vinesh shared her farewell from wrestling, fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia expressed his support on social media, stating that she wasn’t beaten but was instead made to face defeat. Bajrang's remarks emerged amidst a major controversy regarding Vinesh's unexpected weight gain during the post-bout weigh-in on Tuesday.

"Vinesh aap haari nahi, haraya gaya hai (you were not beaten but made to face defeat), for us you will always be a winner, you are not only the daughter of India but also the pride of India," Bajrang posted on X, suggesting possible foul play.

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August 8, 2024

Bajrang's comments followed Vinesh's own social media post: "Mother wrestling won against me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream, my courage is all broken, I don't have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all for forgiveness."

This surprising decision came a day after Vinesh appealed her disqualification from the Olympic finals on Wednesday to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), requesting that she be awarded a joint silver medal.

The sport’s international governing body, United World Wrestling (UWW), has stated that the current weigh-in rule will not be changed for now.

"On IOA's suggestion that a wrestler's results from the day on which the athlete met the weigh-in requirements should not be disqualified, the UWW President was sympathetic. UWW will also discuss the suggestion at an appropriate platform, but it could not be done retrospectively," the world body said in a statement late on Wednesday following a meeting between its President Nenad Lalovic and IOA chief P T Usha.

Vinesh made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category on Tuesday night and was guaranteed at least a silver medal before her disqualification.

A three-time Olympian, Vinesh has won gold medals at both the Asian and Commonwealth Games.

Over the past year, she has also been a prominent figure in the protests against former Wrestling Federation of India head Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faces allegations of sexual harassment from female wrestlers.

Vinesh, who has always competed in the 53kg category, was required to drop to 50kg just months before the Games after Antim Panghal secured the Paris quota place in that division.

(With Agency Inputs)