New Delhi. Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly has come out in support of female wrestler Vinesh Phogat. Ganguly says that after making it to the finals, Vinesh should at least get a silver medal. Because she deserves it. Vinesh entered the finals of the women’s 50 kg freestyle category at the Paris Olympics by winning three bouts in a day. After this, she was barred from playing the final due to a weight gain of 100 grams. She was disqualified for the final. Vinesh was very hurt by this. They have jointly demanded a silver medal and for this they have knocked the door of the Sports Arbitration, on which the decision may come on August 13.
29-year-old Vinesh Phogat was playing her third Olympics. The way she won three consecutive bouts, she deserved to win the gold. But Vinesh’s dream of becoming an Olympic champion was shattered and she announced her retirement from wrestling.
‘She deserves at least a silver medal’
When asked about this on the sidelines of the ‘Kolkata Food Festival’, Sourav Ganguly said, ‘I don’t know the exact rules, but I think she must have qualified properly when she reached the final. When you make it to the final, you win a gold or silver medal. I don’t know whether she was wrongly disqualified or not, but she deserves at least a silver medal.’ In place of Vinesh, Cuban wrestler Yusnelis Guzman Lopez entered the final, who had lost to her in the semi-finals.
Disqualification of Indian wrestler ‘against logic and sportsmanship’
The Indian wrestler has demanded a joint silver medal with Lopez in her appeal filed in the Sports Arbitration (CAS). The Sports Arbitration is expected to give a decision on this by August 13. Great cricketer Sachin Tendulkar also supported Vinesh and said that the disqualification of the Indian wrestler is ‘against logic and sportsmanship’. He also advised to reconsider the rules related to this. Apart from this, Sunil Gavaskar also said that an appeal should be made to the IOA for this.
Tags: 2024 paris olympics, olympics in paris, paris olympics 2024, Sourav Ganguly, Vinesh Phogat
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 11, 2024, 21:40 IST
