The Haryana government will felicitate wrestler Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the Olympics for being overweight ahead of her gold medal bout in the 50 kg category, like a medallist, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said. She will be offered the same reward that the state offers to Olympic Games silver medallist, he further stated
Hours before her final match with United States's Sarah Ann Hildebrandt, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50 kg women's wrestling event for breaching the weight mark. Pic PTI
The Haryana government will felicitate wrestler Vinesh Phogat like a medallist and offer the same reward that the state government gifts Olympic Games silver medallists, Chief Minister (CM) Nayab Singh Saini said on Thursday.
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Phogat was disqualified from the Olympics for being overweight by 100 grams ahead of her gold medal bout in the 50 kg category on Wednesday.
In a post on X, Saini wrote, "Our brave daughter of Haryana, Vinesh Phogat, performed brilliantly and entered the final of the Olympics. She might not have been able to compete in the final owing to some reason but she is a champion for all of us."
"Our government has decided that Vinesh Phogat will be welcomed and felicitated like a medallist. All the respect, reward and facilities that the Haryana government offers to an Olympic silver medallist will be offered to Vinesh Phogat as well," he tweeted in Hindi.
हरियाणा की हमारी बहादुर बेटी विनेश फौगाट ने ज़बरदस्त प्रदर्शन करके ओलंपिक में फाइनल में प्रवेश किया था। किन्हीं भी कारणों से वो भले ही ओलंपिक का फाइनल नहीं खेल पाई हो लेकिन हम सबके लिए वो एक चैंपियन है।
— Nayab Saini (@NayabSainiBJP) August 8, 2024
हमारी सरकार ने ये फैसला किया है कि विनेश फौगाट का स्वागत और अभिनंदन एक…
According to its sports policy, the Haryana government offers Rs 6 crore to Olympic Games gold medallists, Rs 4 crore to silver medallists, and Rs 2.5 crore to bronze medal winners.
Following Wednesday’s developments, the 29-year-old wrestler on Thursday bid adieu to her international wrestling career, and said that she did not have the strength to continue. Announcing her decision to retire on social media, Phogat also sought forgiveness from everyone who supported her.
On Tuesday night, Phogat had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman grappler to reach the gold medal bout in the 50 kg event after beating Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals. However, hours before her final match with United States's Sarah Ann Hildebrandt, the grappler was disqualified from the 50 kg women's wrestling event for breaching the weight mark by 100 grams.
Meanwhile, Phogat's uncle and Indian wrestling legend Mahavir said the family will ask her to reconsider her decision to retire and convince her to compete in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
(With PTI and ANI inputs)
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