Our fight is not over: Vinesh Phogat, welcomed like a winner at the airport

#News Bureau August 17,2024

Wrestler Vinesh Phogat received a rousing welcome on her arrival at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Saturday. Security was tight when Vinesh landed in the capital. The Indian wrestler was disqualified in the 50kg final at the Paris Olympics for exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams. Vinesh’s welcome has just begun. Her brother Harvinder Phogat has written on Instagram – People in our village are also waiting to welcome her. People are excited to meet Vinesh and encourage her. Harvinder Phogat said that Vinesh will also be given a grand welcome in her native village in Balali, Haryana.

Stars like Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vijender Singh and panchayat leaders welcomed Vinesh. Wearing heavy garlands, Vinesh stood in an open jeep and thanked all the supporters. In fact, Vinesh cried after seeing the crowd as soon as she came out of the airport. She said- “I thank all the countrymen, I am very lucky.” Then again Vinesh folded her hands humbly and said, “I thank the whole country.” Vinesh also said that our fight is not over yet.

On the day of the historic gold medal match in women’s 50kg wrestling (August 7), Vinesh was found to be 100 grams overweight. She was disqualified and stripped of her podium finish as per the rules of the United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee. Vinesh had worked hard the previous day, including an improbable win against four-time world champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the first round and two more wins to become the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final. But the subsequent circumstances let her down. The decision of the Olympic Tribunal was eagerly awaited in India.