'Felt really, really sad': Neeraj on Vinesh being disqualified ahead of gold medal bout

Olympic gold and silver medal-winning Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra expressed his disappointment over wrestler Vinesh Phogat being disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024 on the day of her gold medal bout.

"I was having breakfast in the morning when I got to know this. Felt really, really sad,” Neeraj said while addressing a press conference in Paris.

“I haven’t spoken to Vinesh yet. But whatever she has done here, woh ek misaal hai (She is an example). To beat Yui Susaki is in itself such a big thing. And after that, whatever she has been through, I don’t understand the rules of wrestling that well. But, she was on her way confidently to gold. But then, this happened," Neeraj, who won a silver medal in the Paris Olympics on Thursday, added.

Vinesh was in phenomenal form but was disqualified from Paris 2024 after weighing 100 grams more in the women's 50kg category on the morning of her gold medal bout.

Her disqualification came just after she made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final in the Olympics.

She defeated top competitors including Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Yui Susaki of Japan, Ukraine's Oksana Livach and Yusneylis Guzman Lopez en route to the final. Vinesh notably ended Susaki's 82-match unbeaten run to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Since then she challenged the United World Wrestling's decision to disqualify her from the Paris Olympics and asked for a shared silver. Her fate now hangs in a thread as the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) is set to announce its verdict on the matter on August 11.

"Everyone knows how tough Vinesh’s journey has been. In 2016, to overcome such a dangerous injury, and then in 2020 have more injuries. She has been through so many personal setbacks. And for her to come back from that, recover from it, get herself to this position and be mentally strong from all that…it was going so well," Neeraj said.

"Phir pata nahi, bhagwan ko kuch aur hi Manzoor tha (Then I don’t know, God had something else in mind).. But we know that whatever she has done, it is great," he added.

Following her disqualification, a disappointed and shattered Vinesh announced her retirement from wrestling on Thursday.

“Mother, wrestling beat me, I lost. Your dream and my courage are all broken. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt,” Vinesh wrote on X.