26 september 2024 : Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the gold medal bout at the Paris Olympics was a major incident for the Indian team. She was found to be 100 grams over the weight limit during her second weigh-in, resulting in her disqualification. This event drew significant sympathy from fans and the wrestling community.
After the disqualification, Vinesh announced her retirement and attempted to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but was unsuccessful. Upon returning to India, she received a hero’s welcome. However, former Olympic medalist Yogeshwar Dutt criticized Vinesh, stating that she should have apologized to the nation for her mistake and the missed opportunity for a medal.
Dutt expressed his view at the Panchayat AajTak Haryana 2024, saying, “When someone is disqualified at the Olympics, they should first apologize to the country for their error and for losing a medal. Instead, there were claims of a conspiracy against her.” He also noted that Vinesh was a prominent figure in the protests against Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced sexual harassment allegations.
Yogeshwar, who joined the BJP in 2019 but was not nominated for the upcoming state assembly elections, defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi against accusations of conspiracy regarding Vinesh’s disqualification. He stated, “Blaming the Prime Minister was unjust. If disqualification occurs due to a weight issue—be it 1 gram, 10 grams, or 100 grams—the rules are clear and apply equally. A negative atmosphere was fostered nationwide.”
He lamented that despite the serious implications of losing a medal, a misleading narrative was created surrounding Vinesh’s situation. Yogeshwar emphasized, “If I were in Vinesh’s shoes, I would have admitted my failure in weight management and apologized for the lost opportunity. Yet, instead of accountability, there seems to be a celebration of her mistake, which is troubling.” He added that during the protests, the public was misled about the situation, contributing to a distorted perception of events surrounding the Olympics.
