Olympics 2024: Haryana govt to felicitate Vinesh Phogat as 'medallist'

The Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, on Thursday, announced that wrestler Vinesh Phogat - who was disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024 for being overweight ahead of her gold medal bout - will be felicitated like a medallist.

"Our brave daughter of Haryana, Vinesh Phogat, performed brilliantly and entered the final of the Olympics. She might not have been able to compete in the final due to some reason but she is a champion for all of us," Saini posted on X.

"Our government has decided that Vinesh Phogat will be welcomed and felicitated like a medallist. All the respect, reward and facilities that the Haryana government offers an Olympic silver medallist will be offered to Vinesh Phogat as well," he said in Hindi.

As per a Business Standard report, the Haryana government will also reward Vinesh with Rs 4 crore.

According to its sports policy, the Haryana government offers Rs 6 crore to gold medallists in the Olympic Games, Rs 4 crore to silver medallists and Rs 2.5 crore to bronze medal winners.

Vinesh, who announced her retirement from wrestling on Thursday morning, a day after she was disqualified from the Olympics, asked everyone to forgive her. 

Vinesh had reached the final of the Paris Olympics after she stunned world number one and reigning world champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the first round in a tightly fought bout.

She defeated Oksana Livach of Ukraine 7-5 in the quarter-finals to move to the semifinals, where she beat Cuban wrestler and Pan American Games champion Yusnelyis Guzman Lopez.

But before her final, Vinesh was left heartbroken as she was disqualified.