Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday met Mahavir Phogat in Haryana after Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024. Vinesh Phogat was supposed to fight in the gold medal match at the Paris Olympics on August 7, 2024. However, on Wednesday morning, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) confirmed that Vinesh Phogat had been disqualified from the tournament because she was overweight by just 100 gm. Vinesh Phogat's weight reportedly increased by 2 kgs on Tuesday and therefore, she did not sleep at night and continuously working work and tried to reduce her weight, Before the Paris Olympics, Vinesh Phogat used to fight in the 53kg category but this time the Indian wrestler was participating and dominating in 50kg freestyle wrestling.
In the meantime, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann met Vinesh Phogat's uncle Mahavir Phogat in Charkhi Dadri, Haryana, and raised questions on the coaches and physiotherapists part of Vinesh Phogat's team. While interacting with Mahavir Phogat, Mann said, "...such mistakes are happening on such a high level. Coaches and physiotherapists are paid in lakhs. Have they gone there for holidays?"
While interacting with the media, Punjab CM said, "To check her weight was the work of her coaches and physiotherapists. Now, the decision has come. This injustice should have been stopped...Did they (The Centre) fix anyone's accountability at the time when our women wrestlers went to immerse their medals in the river..."
Talking about Vinesh Phogat's family, her family members were celebrating her victory on Tuesday night after she became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final of the Olympic Games with a convincing 5-0 win over Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez. Her uncle Mahavir Phogat became emotional when she was disqualified.
“She might have eaten something due to which she was overweight. She will work harder in the future. The country is saddened. She will try again for 2028,” Mahavir Phogat told the media.