Yearender 2024: Controversies & Heartbreaks That Shook Indian Sport

Indian sport saw several highs in 2024 – the T20 World Cup triumph, record medal haul by our para athletes in the Paris Paralympics, D Gukesh’s World chess championship conquest, Koneru Humpy winning the Women’s World Rapid chess crown for the second time to name a few.

But there were a number of controversies and heartbreaks as well, none bigger than the Vinesh Phogat saga in the Paris Olympics.

Here’s a look at the year’s leading controversies in Indian sport:

Vinesh Phogat’s Disqualification From Olympic Final

A nation of more than 1.4 billion cried in anguish when Vinesh was disqualified from the women’s 50 kg wrestling competition in the Olympics for being 100 grams overweight on the morning of the gold medal bout. Even as questions were raised on how the experienced wrestler and her team could allow that to happen despite knowing the rules fully well, Vinesh approached the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to award her the silver medal. The CAS refused to make an exception for Vinesh, who was India’s first female wrestler to qualify for an Olympic final after out-battling top seed and defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan, former European champion Oksana Livach of Ukraine and Pan American Games winner Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba.

Antim Panghal Evicted From Olympics

Antim Panghal, a wrestler in women’s 53 kg event, was sent back to India from the Paris Olympics following a disciplinary breach. Antim, who lost in the first round, tried to bring her sister into the Athletes Village by using her accreditation card. Security personnel saw through the plan and summoned the police. Antim and her support staff were sent back to India by the Indian Olympic Association. The wrestler claimed she had already booked a return flight to India before the incident. She also said that her coach had a fight with a cab driver due to language problem, and that the situation was blown out of proportion.

Ashwin’s Retirement In The Middle Of Border-Gavaskar Trophy

India’s second-most successful spinner, with 537 Test wickets, shocked the cricketing world by announcing his retirement from international cricket after the drawn third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Brisbane. He didn’t say it in as many words, but Ashwin must have been hurt and felt insulted to have been kept out of the Indian playing XI in the Perth Test – to accommodate another off-spinner Washington Sundar – and again ignored in the Brisbane Test. He hinted that he wasn’t happy with the team management’s decisions by saying that he still had ‘a bit of punch’ left in him in as a cricketer which he would showcase in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings. Not sure whether his services would be needed for the fourth and final Test matches, Ashwin decided to pack his bags and fly home. The timing of his retirement, right in the middle of an important series against Australia, was questioned by some pundits. But Ashwin said on returning to India that he had no regrets.

Virat Kohli Fined For Shoulder-Charging Australian Debutant

Virat Kohli has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late. Along with his struggle for runs since his century in the second innings of the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Virat Kohli got involved with an ugly on-field physical contact with teenaged debutant Sam Konstas during the fourth Test at Melbourne. The Australian opener, who rattled Jasprit Bumrah and Team India with some outrageous shots on the opening day, was shoulder bumped by Kohli while they crossed path in between overs. The Match Referee pulled up Kohli for breaching Level 1 of ICC Code of Conduct, the former India captain being fined 20 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point. The Aussie media got after Kohli, with one media outlet mocking him with an uncharitable banner headline, ‘Clown Kohli.’ Another media publication referred to Kohli as a ‘sook’ (crybaby or coward) for his physical altercation with the Australian teenager.

Bajrang Punia’s Suspension & Claim Of ‘Political Conspiracy’

Sports got mixed with politics after Olympic medal-winning wrestler Bajrang Punia was suspended for four years by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for his refusal to provide sample for a dope test. According to NADA, Bajrang “intentionally and deliberately” violated rules by not providing a sample during selection trials for the national team in March, but the Tokyo Olympics bronze-medallist claimed he was a victim of BJP’s political conspiracy. Bajrang, who firmly stood by the months-long protest by female wrestlers who accused wrestling federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexual harassment, joined the Congress along with Vinesh. He was suspended by the world wrestling body also, but Bajrang claimed that NADA would have quashed his ban if he had joined the BJP.

Anwar Ali Suspension Leads To Court Battle

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) suspended India international Anwar Ali for four months in September. The dependable centre-back was found guilty of wrongfully terminating his contract with Mohun Bagan and signing a five-year deal with East Bengal. The national football federation also sought Rs 12.90 crore as compensation from Anwar, his parent club Delhi FC and East Bengal. AIFF’s decision was challenged in Delhi High Court, which stayed the suspension and ordered a rehearing of his case. AIFF’s Players Status Committee thereafter issued the 24-year-old player a no-objection certificate to play for East Bengal. In 2019, Anwar was forbidden from playing football by the AIFF after he was diagnosed with a rare heart disease, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, which thickens the heart muscle wall and affects pumping of blood. Then also, Delhi High Court ruled in his favour and cleared him to play in 2021.