According to Vinesh Phogat, such a gesture will also encourage other female athletes to know that their communities will support them even during difficult times.
The Sarvkhap Panchayat here on Sunday presented Olympic wrestler Vinesh Phogat with a gold medal. Phogat was disqualified from the 50-kg final match at the recent Paris games. “My battle hasn’t ended; rather, it’s just getting started. We are only beginning the battle to save our girls’ honor. “We expressed the same sentiments during our sit-in,” Phogat declared at a celebration held in her honor. She participated in the protests last year against Brijbhushan Sharan Singh, the leader of the BJP and the then-head of the Wrestling Federation of India, which were led by wrestlers, primarily from Haryana, who were accused of sexual harassment.
“When I could not play in Paris, I thought I was very unfortunate but after returning to India and experiencing all the love and support here, I feel that I am very fortunate,” she explained.
Such a gesture, according to Phogat, would inspire other female athletes by showing them that their communities are there to assist them during difficult times.
“I will forever be indebted for this honour which is above any medal,” she said.
On the day of her 50-kg final bout at the Paris Olympics, Phogat, who is from Balali in Haryana, was disqualified, resulting in a painful exit.
Prior to this, Vinesh was greeted with great fanfare upon her return to the nation. En route to her hometown of Balali, the renowned wrestler was showered with gifts from numerous admirers and “khap panchayats,” and she declared that this experience surpassed earning a thousand Olympic medals.
At approximately 10:30 am, hundreds of fans gathered outside the IGI airport here to welcome Vinesh to the sounds of “dhol” as she left with her husband Somvir Rathi and Congress MP Deepender Hooda.
Vinesh, a fellow wrestler who suffered a tragic exit at the Paris Olympics after being banned for being 100 grams overweight on the day of the 50kg final, was honored by fellow competitors Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, and panchayat leaders.
