Vinesh deserves a medal for getting into the final: PR Sreejesh

PR Sreejesh, the legendary Indian goalkeeper who won a second successive Olympic medal in Paris 2024 with the Indian team, said wrestler Vinesh Phogat deserves a medal.

"There are two views, one being an athlete she deserves a medal, getting into the final, they snatched it from her, silver for sure. She was strong. If I was in her situation, I don't what I would have done," Sreejesh said at an interaction with PTI editors at its headquarters in New Delhi on Tuesday.

"The next day before our bronze medal match I met her and she said 'Bhai good luck, play well'. I felt like she was hiding her pain with that smile. She is a real fighter," added Sreejesh, who retired from hockey after the Paris Olympics.

Vinesh, who competed in the 50kg category at the Paris Olympics 2024, was disqualified from her event ahead of her gold medal bout for weighing 100 grams more in her weight category on the morning of her final.

Though the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) challenged her disqualification at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the decision on the matter has not been announced yet.

Vinesh pleaded for a shared silver medal with Yusneylis Guzman Lopez from Cuba.

The 29-year-old was in exceptional form at the Olympics. She defeated Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Yu Susaki of Japan in the first round, former European champion Oksana Livach of Ukraine in the second round and Lopez in the semifinals.

But since Vinesh was disqualified, Lopez took her place in the final and won the silver medal.

As Vinesh now waits for the CAS verdict, which will be announced on August 16, Sreejesh said, "I am keeping my fingers crossed. Being an athlete, I just wish well for her. The way she worked hard, we know what she had been through last one year and from there she is coming back, qualifying for Olympics final, that is answer for all. I really felt bad for her, it's a tough situation."