India’s star wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been temporarily suspended by the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) following reports of indiscipline during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Vinesh has been issued a notice on three counts with August 16 set as the deadline to reply to the aforementioned notice.
The 26-year-old Indian wrestler bowed out of the Tokyo Olympics after suffering a 3-9 defeat to Belarus’ Vanesa Kaladzinskaya in the women’s freestyle 53 kg.
Vinesh reportedly refused to stay at the designated Olympic village and did not wear the wrestling singlet that contains the team sponsor’s logo. Instead, she competed in a singlet that had her personal sponsor Nike’s logo.
Some of the issues, in fact, had started surfacing much before the Games began. Vinesh had expressed displeasure after she was denied permission for 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 or staff?" Vinesh had tweeted last month.
As per news agency PTI, Vinesh, who travelled to Tokyo from Hungary, also ‘created a ruckus’ when she was allotted a room near her Indian teammates Seema Bisla, Anshu Malik, and Sonam Malik.
Vinesh argued that she could contract COVID-19 since the other wrestlers had boarded their flights to Tokyo from India.
The Asian Games gold medalist was one of India’s prime medal hopes at Tokyo 2020 but her defeat to Kaladzinskaya brought about a premature end to her Olympic campaign.
PTI also reported that Sonam Malik was issued a notice for misconduct. Like Vinesh, Sonam couldn’t win a medal and returned empty handed in what was her maiden appearance at the Olympic Games.
Featured photo : SAI Media
