The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Sanjay Singh has asked Vinesh Phogat not to rush into a decision about retiring after the wrestler called time on her international career on Thursday.
Phogat’s announcement came in the wake of her shattered Olympic dream due to weight issues that disqualified her from the 50kg category gold medal match at the Olympics.
In her retirement posts, 29-year-old Vinesh disclosed that she can no longer continue because she is weak.
This was after she was disqualified for weighing more than 50 grams heavier than required which dealt a fatal blow on her lifeline ambition of going to the Olympics.
Sanjay Singh said he only learned about her decision to retire through social media and was equally shocked by it, when speaking with Parami News Video.
“So I would urge her on behalf of the Wrestling Federation of India not to take hasty decisions out of depression and take a proper decision once she is mentally back on track from this mental debacle. We are also going to talk with her.”
Vinesh has taken it upon herself to move Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) against her disqualification. She wants justice: a joint silver medal because she had been eliminated just 100 grams overweight during weigh-ins.
On another occasion, Sanjay Singh commented on Antim Panghal’s controversial incident where she tried using her accreditation card so as to gain entry for his sister in athletes’ village thus bringing shame among Indian Olympic contingent
Regarding what happened, Singh vented off his frustrations
“It is ridiculous, we cannot do anything. But there are few officials who are behaving arbitrarily. We send our selected coaches in international events. They create discipline in our wrestling game but there are few officials who act arbitrarily leading indiscipline in wrestling itself.”
“Such embarrassment would have been avoided if we were allowed doing things ourselves,” Sanjay Singh added.
Antim, aged 19 and a U20 world champion, was asked by police to give an account of what happened following the incident. Before that, she had lost her opening bout in the women’s 53kg category in the Olympics.
“IOA and WFI have met whatever needs were there of these 6 players, they were given the coaches, physios and dieticians they asked for,” commented the top WFI official. “But they are acting arbitrarily. They are not respecting the chief coach of freestyle.”
“There are some other coaches who are behind all these,” Sanjay Singh indicted.
As well as one more thing; Antim’s personal support staff – Vikas and Bhagat –traveled drunk in a taxi and refused to pay the driver who rang up the police.
Panghal and her support staff have been deported from Paris for breach of discipline.
