India Lodges Strong Protest Against Vinesh Phogat’s Disqualification At Paris Olympics

New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has registered a strong protest with United World Wrestling over Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification ahead of her women’s 50kg freestyle final in Paris, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

“Today her weight was found 50 kg 100 grams and she was disqualified. The Indian Olympic Association has lodged a strong protest with the International Olympic Committee. IOA President PT Usha is in Paris, the Prime Minister spoke to her and asked her to explore all options and take necessary action.”

He also listed out the financial assistance provided to the wrestler.

Sources, however, told NDTV that there is very little elbow room for negotiation in the case as the athlete has failed to meet the basic standards.

Vinesh had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in the event on Tuesday night. The 29-year-old had taken down defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan en route to the finals in a remarkable performance and was to face American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the summit bout this evening.

The disqualification left her medal-less within hours of coming close to an unparalleled gold. International rules stipulate that any grappler found overweight at the time of weigh-in ends up at the bottom of the final standings.

She also suffered from dehydration having skipped food, exercised and stayed up whole night to be able to meet the weight category and had to be taken to the polyclinic inside the Games village.

“We have less time, but we will do whatever is possible. Since she was training all night to reduce her weight, there is slight dehydration. Now she is fit and taking rest in the games village. It is extremely sad for the country that we missed our first gold medal in Women’s Wrestling because of the overweight issue…Our athletes are very well prepared and they will all play extremely well. We are hoping for 2-3 medals…,” Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Sanjay Singh told ANI.

Meanwhile, INDIA Alliance MPs walked out of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in protest against Vinesh’s disqualification from Olympics.

REACTIONS

While the PM took to X, asking the wrestler to not lose hope and come back stronger, Opposition leaders called for a thorough investigation into the incident. “Their diet is watched over, what they are drinking, what they are eating, the type of food they are consuming. So, what was the reason this girl’s weight increased? Who didn’t pay attention? This has to be answered,” Congress MP Selja said.

Congress MP Deepender Hooda called for a review of the decision that led to her disqualification.

Calling the disqualification an “insult” not just to Vinesh but also to the country, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh called for the boycott of the Olympics. “This is not an insult to Vinesh but to the country. Vinesh Phogat was going to create history in the whole world, declaring her 100 grams overweight and disqualifying her was a grave injustice. The whole country stands with Vinesh, the Indian government should intervene immediately, if this is not accepted, then boycott the Olympics,” he posted on X.

Stressing the need to question IOC’s operations and the overall conduct of the Olympics, NCP MP Praful Patel said: “It is very shocking and disturbing news that she has been disqualified. All sports federations including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) cannot have these kinds of yardsticks. How can you disqualify someone at the final stage? This is shocking and surprising. The Government of India and the Indian Olympic Association should take this up strongly with the IOC and put a big question mark on the way the IOC itself is operating and the way this entire Olympics is being conducted,” he said.

BJP MP Karan Bhushan Singh said the disqualification is a “loss for the country”. “The Federation will take this into consideration and see what can be done,” he told news agency ANI.

Notably, Vinesh was a leading face in the protests that happened last year against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is the father of the BJP MP.