Vinesh Phogat: Is a silver still in the reckoning?

The Indian sporting community is still in shock over the unexpected disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat from the Paris Olympics. Phogat was set to compete against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt (US) for gold in the 50 kg category, but was disqualified for marginally exceeding the weight limit following her semi-final match.

According to reports, the disqualification means Phogat will not receive any medal — though she would have received at least a silver even had she lost in the final — and all her results in the event would be nullified.

The question is whether Phogat will be offered an exception, since she was found overweight by just 100 gm. According to United World Wrestling (UWW) rules, a wrestler has to maintain a strict weight limit of 50 kg (or whatever the relevant weight in each category). So Phogat would have been disqualified even if she weighed 1 mg more than the stipulated weight limit.

Phogat had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman grappler to reach the gold medal bout in the 50 kg event at the Olympics. On Thursday, she bid adieu to her international wrestling career, saying she did not have the strength to continue. Announcing her decision to retire on social media, the 29-year-old sought forgiveness from everyone who supported her.

However, she has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after her disqualification. "Vinesh Phogat has appealed to the CAS against her disqualification, asking for the silver medal. CAS will give its verdict tomorrow (9 August)," reported ANI, citing sources.

Among those lending their voices to the demand for a silver medal for Phogat is American wrestler Jordan Burroughs, who won gold in his category at the London Olympics 2012.

Now all eyes will be on the CAS as there will be an ad-hoc hearing to decide Phogat's fate. If the wrestler is successful with her appeal, she might win joint silver. However, the disqualified result remains if she loses her appeal.

Meanwhile, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said the state government would felicitate Phogat like a medallist, and she will be offered the same reward that the state government offers to Olympic Games silver medallists.

Saini said in a post on X, "Our brave daughter of Haryana, Vinesh Phogat, performed brilliantly and entered the final of the Olympics. She might not have been able to compete in the final due to some reason but she is a champion for all of us."

"Our government has decided that Vinesh Phogat will be welcomed and felicitated like a medallist. All the respect, reward and facilities that the Haryana government offers an Olympic silver medallist will be offered to Vinesh Phogat as well," he wrote in Hindi.

According to its sports policy, the Haryana government offers Rs 6 crore to gold medallists in the Olympic Games, Rs 4 crore to silver medallists and Rs 2.5 crore to bronze medal winners.

Notably, Phogat was one of the wrestlers who had sat in a weeks-long protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Singh, accused of sexual abuse by multiple Indian women wrestlers. The BJP-led Union government, including PM Modi, chose to remain silent on the matter, though the wrestlers were eventually dragged off the streets by Delhi Police personnel on the grounds that they were blocking the approach to the new Parliament building.

In an X post in April, Phogat had expressed concern that the coaches and support staff assigned to the wrestling team mostly belonged to the Brij Bhushan Singh camp, and declared that Singh and "his dummy", current WFI chief Sanjay Singh, were doing everything in their power to stop her from competing in the Olympics.

On Wednesday, INDIA bloc MPs held a protest on the Parliament premises alleging that Phogat's disqualification from the Olympics reeked of a "conspiracy", and demanded justice for her. Members of Opposition parties like the Congress, TMC, NCP(SP), JMM, RJD and SP also walked out from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

"The entire Opposition... staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha demanding justice for Vinesh Phogat. Modi ji posted a consolation tweet. A consolation tweet will not work Modi ji, justice must be ensured for her," Congress general-secretary Randeep Surjewala told reporters.

"As part of a conspiracy, first that daughter was dragged on the streets of Delhi, and now when she has been disqualified, the government is mum. This points to a conspiracy. This is a black day in the history of sports in India. The 140 crore Indians will not forgive the government which has failed the country's sportspersons," he said.

The Indian Olympic Association reportedly lodged a strong protest with UWW over Phogat's disqualification from the Olympics, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking IOA chief P.T. Usha to take "appropriate action" in the matter, the government said on Wednesday.

With agency inputs