‘Caught Fever, Sought Permission To Visit My Sister In Hotel’: Wrestler Antim Panghal REACTS After Deportation From Paris Olympics

Wrestler Antim Panghal opened up on the controversy that involved her sister at Paris Olympics 2024 on Thursday, August 8. Panghal was knocked after losing to Zeynep Yetgil of Turkey in the pre-quarters of the women's freestyle 53 kg.

However, Antim Panghal grabbed headlines not just for her defeat but also for the controversy after her sister allegedly breached the security by using Indian grappler's accreditation card to access the Olympic Athletes Village. After Antim's sister was caught for breaching security, Indian OIympic Association (IOA) decided to fly wrestler and her support staff back to India.

After being deported back to India, Antim Panghal gave her side of the story regarding the controversy. In a video, Panghal revealed that she developed a fever after her defeat and received permission to visit her sister at a hotel. She further explained that her sister went to take her luggage, so she took her sister's accreditation card to gain access to the Olympic Athletes' Village.

"I had come here to Olympics, there was a bout yesterday. I got defeated. It is wrong that police had taken me. When I was defeated, I caught fever. I sought permission to visit my sister in a hotel. The permission was given. I went to the hotel. I wanted my luggage that was kept at the village." Antim Panghal said.

"Then my sister went to the village with my accreditation card. She asked for my luggage. They took my accreditation card and took her to police station for the verification." she added.

Antim Panghal's sister and brother travelled with her to Paris for the ongoing edition of the Summer Games. Panghal's defeat was another setback for India after star wrestler Vinesh Phogat's disqualification from the gold medal for being overweight.

Antim Panghal dismisses allegations of coach arguing with taxi driver

It was reported that Antim Panghal's personal support staff – Vikas and Bhagat had an argument with the taxi driver in an inebriated and refused to pay him in Paris. The Indian wrestler dismisses such allegations, stating that alteraction between her coach and taxi driver because of the miscommunication.

"They are saying that the coach fought with cab driver. But it was not so. We had booked his cab, he came to the hotel." Antim said.

"He told the driver that he did not have the Euro and hence came to the room to take Euro to pay him. It led to an altercation but not like it is being talked." she added.