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Lucknow: Rajpal Rathi, father-in-law of wrestler Vinesh Phogat, has leveled serious allegations against the central government and former Indian Wrestling Association president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over disqualification of Vinesh from Olympics.
Indian female wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being 100 gm overweight. Rathi said: “The allegation of conspiracy in this case cannot be denied. What is 100 grams of weight? If you had just cut the hair on your head, the weight would have been reduced by 100 grams. Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and the government are involved in this.”
In response to Rathi's accusations, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is currently in Delhi, stated, “I have parted ways from the Indian Wrestling Association for a long time. I have nothing to do with the association now.”
He suggested that the Indian Wrestling Association and the Government of India should consult with the Olympic Association to address the matter.
However, Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav has called for a thorough investigation into the technical reasons behind Phogat’s disqualification, emphasizing the need to uncover the real cause. SP MP Dimple Yadav added that the incident has shocked the entire country and urged for a high-level investigation.
BJP MP from Kaiserganj, Karan Bhushan Singh, and National Vice President of the Indian Wrestling Association, expressed regret over the situation. In his X post he aid: “If this has happened, it is a loss for the country. The Indian Wrestling Association will determine its accountability and address the issue.”
Prateek Bhushan Sharan Singh, BJP MLA from Gonda Sadar and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s elder son, tweeted, “The news of disqualification is sad and heartbreaking. Today’s shock is a setback for India.”
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Sanjay Singh Bablu, National President of the Indian Wrestling Association, lamented the situation, saying, “This is sad for India. We were hoping Vinesh Phogat would bring home a gold medal and glory to the nation. The Indian Olympic Association attempted to reduce her weight overnight, but it was not successful, leading to her disqualification. We will appeal the decision.”
