'Conspiracy, blaming PM': Yogeshwar Dutt tears apart Vinesh Phogat on Olympic disqualification, 'despite costing India a medal...'

Yogeshwar Dutt tears apart Vinesh Phogat on Paris Olympics disqualification (Image source: AP/PTI)

The news of Vinesh Phogat getting disqualified from the Paris Olympics came as a shock to the nation, also costing the grappler an assured medal. The matter despite being a few months old now is still being used intensively as Haryana, the state from which Vinesh hails, gears up for the State Assembly elections. Vinesh will also be in fray as she contests from Julana constituency, and in her interviews to various publications and broadcasters, she has pointed fingers at the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and its president PT Usha. She had blamed the sports body and its president of doing politics in Paris.

Vinesh's allegations were countered by country's top lawyer Harish Salve, who represented the IOA during the wrestler's hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). He mentioned lack of co-ordination at the initial stage from the wrestler's team of lawyers.

Now in a recent interaction at a show 'Panchayat AajTak Haryana 2024' - Yogeshwar Dutt, 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist, launched a brutal attack on Vinesh, questioning her stance and calling the disqualification "the right call".

"She was disqualified from the Olympic Games, she should have apologised in front of the entire nation, saying that she made mistakes. But instead, she termed it a conspiracy, even blaming the Prime Minister of the country. Everyone knows that the disqualification was the right call. They disqualify athletes even if the weight is more by a gram," said Yogeshwar.

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Yogeshwar also made a remark on the wrestlers' protest held in New Delhi last year against former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

"She created a wrong atmosphere in the country. Even during the protests, people were asked to gather in the wrong way. If we speak just about the Olympics, despite costing India a medal, a false perception was created that something wrong happened to her. If I was in Vinesh's place, I would've apologised to the country," he added.

Vinesh was disqualified from the Games on the morning of her gold medal bout for failing to meet the weigh-in criteria. Vinesh took part in 50kg freestyle wrestling event and stormed into the finals after overpowering the reigning Olympic champion. However, she measured 100 grams over the eligibility criteria during her second weigh-in. The disappointment was such that Vinesh subsequently retired from the sport and appealed against her disqualification at CAS, which ruled the verdict against the Indian.

Despite the disappointment, Vinesh got a rousing reception on her return from Paris and weeks later she joined Congress.