Paris : India’s Badminton legend Saina Nehwal in a statement held Vinesh Phogat equally responsible for her Paris Olympics 2024 disqualification.
Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified today, on the day of her Women’s 50 Kg Freestyle Gold Medal final due to overweight by a bare margin of 100 Grams , crossing 50 Kg. Despite appeals from Indian Wrestling Association, she wasn’t considered for the final & is disqualified, shattering India’s hopes for a Wrestling Gold/Silver Medal.
Saina expressed her disappointment in an interview regarding this issue. Despite supporting her over the years she also felt after this issue that an experienced Wrestler like Vinesh Phogat playing her 3rd Olympics should have been aware of the rules and regulations in a big stage like Olympics. According to Saina, Vinesh should be equally held responsible for this rare fault.
Saina said in the interview, “She is an experienced athlete. Somewhere there has been a mistake on Vinesh’s part too. She should take the blame too. Before such a big match, such a mistake is not right”.
“She knows what is right or wrong. I don’t know the details of wrestling. I don’t know if there has been any appeal in Olympics which resulted in something significant. She knows the rule. I don’t know what mistake she did, that too on the final day. I have always seen her working very hard. She gives her 100%,” Saina added.
“It is not like she is playing her first Olympics. It’s her third Olympics. As an athlete, she must know the rules. If there has been a mistake, I don’t know how it happened. At such a big stage, I have not heard any such thing about any other wrestler, that they have been disqualified due to being overweight“, Saina said expressing her disappointment.
