Vinesh Phogat suspended by WFI for misconduct during Tokyo Olympics

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) temporarily suspended  wrestler Vinesh Phogat for misconduct during her Tokyo Olympics campaign. WIFI has issued a notice to Vinesh on three counts and has been given time until August 16 to reply to the notice. Vinesh, who crashed out of the Olympics after losing to Belarus’ Vanesa Kaladzinskaya, had refused to stay at the Olympics village and train with other Indian team members. Reportedly she also  refused to wear a wrestling singlet with the team sponsor’s logo and competed in a singlet with a personal sponsor Nike’s logo.

According to the news agency PTI, the officials who were in Tokyo told PTI that Vinesh had created ruckus when she was allotted a room near those of her Indian team and argued that she might contract coronavirus since these wrestlers travelled to Tokyo from India. Vinesh had travelled to Tokyo from Hungary where she had trained with coach Woller Akos. According to media reports, Before the start of her Olympics campaign, she 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 expressed this on twitter last month.

Vinesh was one of India’s medal contenders at the Games but She got knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Olympics to Vanesa Kaladzinskaya of Belarus by fall. WFI also issued to young Sonam Malik for misconduct, reported PTI. She returned without a medal from her maiden Olympic Games.

(With PTI Inputs)