Vinesh's disqualification insult to country: AAP

AAP called wrestler Vinesh Phogat's disqualification from the Olympics an "insult" to the country and demanded that the Indian contingent boycott the games if the situation demands.

In a unfortunate turn of events, Vinesh Phogat was on Wednesday disqualified from the Olympics for being found overweight ahead of her women's 50kg final in Paris.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, in a post on X in Hindi, said, "This is not an insult to Vinesh but to the country, @Phogat_Vinesh was going to create history in the whole world, declaring her 100 grams overweight and disqualifying her is grave injustice. The whole country stands with Vinesh, the Indian government should intervene immediately, if they are not heard, we should boycott the Olympics."

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, in a post on X, said, "Many indicating towards a conspiracy… Who can be behind this... ?"

Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should talk to the Olympics chief.

"In Vinesh's case, everyone is saying there is a big conspiracy. The BJP says that the prime minister's name is praised all over the world, he stops wars in countries. No one is listening in Vinesh's matter? Talk to the Olympic chief," he said in a post on X in Hindi.

Echoing similar views, his Cabinet colleague Atishi referred to Phogat as "champion" who defeated all her competitors in the Paris Olympics.

"The Indian government needs to intervene in this matter. Vinesh Phogat's disqualification just before the final also raises the question whether this is a conspiracy or not?" she said in a post on X in Hindi.

However, cricketer and the party's Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative of supporting Phogat and asserted that it shows the whole country is with her.

Calling her disqualification "very unfortunate", he said she was close to clinching the gold medal and there were high expectations from her.

"It is extremely saddening. An athlete can only understand that pain. I hope that she gets any chance to play again, Vinesh will get gold. We are with her, the whole country is with her," he told PTI Videos.

Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday described Phogat as a "champion among champions" and exuded confidence that she would come back stronger following her disqualification from the final Olympic bout.

Sources said the prime minister also spoke to IOA president PT Usha and sought first hand information from her on the issue and the options India has in the wake of the setback.

Vinesh had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in the event on Tuesday.

The disqualification means that Vinesh will end medal-less in the Games as international rules stipulate that any grappler found overweight at the time of weigh-in ends up at the bottom of the final standings.

• THE OLYMPICS, 2024