Last Updated on 14/08/2024 by wccexam Desk
The Paris Olympics are over. The players have started returning home. But, India is still waiting for a result and 140 crore countrymen have great expectations. The decision in the case of wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been postponed again on Tuesday and a new date (16 August) has been given. Vinesh was disqualified before the final match due to being 100 grams overweight. She had appealed in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).
Vinesh first appealed to be reinstated for the gold medal match. When this demand was rejected, she amended it and filed a petition to be awarded the silver medal. The court was to pronounce its verdict on August 8. But the matter was postponed. Meanwhile, Vinesh announced her retirement. After that, the decision in this case was to come on August 13 and once again the matter was postponed. The Court of Arbitration for Sports i.e. CAS said that the decision will be pronounced on August 16.
Vinesh Phogat posted on social media on the morning of August 8 and addressed her mother, writing, Maa, wrestling won over me. I lost. I am sorry. Your dream, my courage, everything is broken. I don’t have more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all. Sorry.
Actually, Vinesh was playing in the 50 kg category. According to the rules, she weighed herself on the morning of 7 August before the final match and it turned out to be 100 grams more. Due to the rules of the Olympics, Vinesh was disqualified from playing the final. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took cognizance of the matter and spoke to Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha and asked her to lodge a strong protest before the Olympic Committee.
Vinesh defeated 3 legendary wrestlers in the 50 kg category on 6 August and entered the finals. She became the first female wrestler of the country to do so. Vinesh was considered certain to win the silver medal. Vinesh first defeated Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan 3-2 in the pre-quarterfinals. Susaki was an undefeated player for 82 matches. That is, she had not lost any match during this period. Vinesh defeated Oksana Livach of Ukraine 7-5 in the quarterfinals. After that she played the semi-finals and defeated Cuba’s Guljan Lopezi 5-0. Earlier, Vinesh was banned in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Vinesh’s uncle Mahavir Phogat said that we have been waiting for the last five-six days. But we are getting dates after dates. Earlier the decision was to come on the 8th. We hope that she will win the silver medal. We will welcome Vinesh like a gold medal winner. We will try our best to convince her to take back her decision (of retirement) and start preparing for the 2028 Olympics.
Mahavir said that 140 crore Indians are waiting for the decision. We are ready to welcome the decision of CAS. We hope that CAS will give a decision in our favor. We hope that CAS will not delay any further and it will be positive for us. This extension is increasing our hopes.
Indian Olympic Association’s lawyer Vidushpat Singhania has expressed hope that the decision will be in our favour. CAS informed that they have taken an extension till 16 August, 6.30 pm (Paris time). We do not know the reason behind this. However, CAS gives its decision within 24 hours of filing a complaint by any committee. We still have hopes.
Vinesh had to enter the wrestling ring against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of America for the gold medal in the final.
Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) vice-president Jai Prakash has expressed disappointment over the delay in the decision. In a conversation with India Today, he said, the entire federation is ‘very sad’ with the delay. Especially when they see it as a period of injustice. He also hoped that the final decision to be taken on August 16 will be fair and just for Phogat and the Indian wrestling community. Jai Prakash said that we were all holding our breath and waiting for the decision. We were hoping that we would get some good news. I don’t know what is the obstacle in the decision coming. We are very sad and we believe that the result should have come earlier. We are all just hoping now that whenever the decision comes, it is good.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)