"Win or lose, you are a star": PR Sreejesh backs Phogat

PR Sreejesh. Pic/PTI; (right) Vinesh Phogat. File pic

PR Sreejesh, who recently announced his retirement from the Indian men's hockey team hailed wrestler Vinesh Phogat for her resilience and composure. He said she showed great courage after the incident that happened with her and was laughing when they met on Saturday.

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the finals of the women's 50kg category at the Paris Olympics 2024 due to being overweight by 100 grams. Following this, she appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) that she should be awarded a joint silver medal. The decision on the appeal is yet to be announced.

"She was laughing when I met her at the village, but I know that she was hiding that feeling with that smile. It's quite hard for any sportsperson," said PR Sreejesh during the hockey team's felicitation at the India House here for retaining the Tokyo Olympics bronze medal.

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"In spite of everything that happened to her, the way she fought back and showed sportsmanship is a big thing the way she came back, fought back, and reached the final. It was shocking news for all of us. It was terrible news. "We are together, and I will pray for her positive result so that we get another silver."

The ad-hoc division of the CAS will take some more time to deliberate on Vinesh Phogat's appeal and will announce its decision only on August 13.

"It's a mental trauma, but I hope she will manage it. She is an example for everybody in our country, not just in wrestling but in any sport. This is what we want," PR Sreejesh said.

"Win or lose, you are a star. You have done your job to showcase to the world what calibre you have, what culture you come from, and how tough you are. She showed that. She may or may not have won a medal, but she has won the hearts of 1.4 billion Indians. "It's the hard work of an athlete's entire life to win a medal for their country. It's a tough situation, but I believe that she's a fighter," added Sreejesh.

The Indian men's hockey team also won a bronze medal for the country at the Paris Olympics 2024. They defeated Spain by 2-1 to clinch another bronze medal for India.

(With PTI Inputs)