TOKYO: Wrestling Federation Of India “Temporarily” Suspends Vinesh Phogat For Indiscipline

TOKYO: The Wrestling Federation of
India (WFI) temporarily suspended star wrestler Vinesh Phogat for indiscipline
during her Tokyo Olympics campaign. The federation has issued a notice to
Vinesh on three counts and she has time until August 16 to reply to the notice.
Vinesh, who crashed out of the Olympics
after losing to Belarus’ Vanesa Kaladzinskaya, did not stay at the
Olympics village, refused to wear a wrestling singlet with the team sponsor’s
logo and competed in a singlet with a personal sponsor Nike’s logo.

Before
the start of her Olympics campaign, Vinesh had
expressed displeasure at not being allowed a physiotherapist to
accompany her and other athletes to the Games. “Is it a crime to ask
for one Physiotherapist for four women wrestlers when there are instances of
one athlete having multiple coaches/ Staff?” Vinesh had tweeted last
month.

Vinesh,
who had travelled to Tokyo from Hungary,
also “created a ruckus” when she was was allotted a room near the
rooms of her India teammates Sonam Malik, Anshu Malik and Seema Bisla.

Phogat
argued that she might contract COVID-19 as these wrestlers had travelled to
Tokyo from India.

Vinesh
was one of India’s medal contenders at the Games but suffered a shock defeat at
the hands of Belarus’ Kaladzinskaya.

Sonam
Malik was also issued a notice for misconduct, reported PTI. She
returned without a medal from her maiden Olympic Games.