This was more of politics: Vinesh Phogat on Haryana govt’s promise to reward her with as much money as Olympics silver medallist after disqualification

Vinesh Phogat in a recent interview with the Indian Express said that the promise the Haryana government had made to reward her with as much money as an Olympics silver medallist after her disqualification from Paris, was politically motivated.

“The whole country was hoping that I would win gold. If the government had said we will give as much money as a gold medallist, it would have sounded like the promise came from the heart. But this was more of politics … that we will award you as much as a silver medalist and honour you. There was pure emotion in the country, I won’t let anyone play politics with emotions,” she said.

“First I heard there would be a programme (felicitation). I would have returned the cheque. Then they said it would come in the account. But nothing has come. This was just talk because elections were around the corner. I only got Rs 15 lakh for participation,” she added.

Last month, after she was heartbreakingly disqualified from competing in the final of the 50kg weight class for being 100 grams over the permissible limit, Phogat had announced her retirement from sport.

But not before deciding to fight for her medal, this time in the court: Phogat knocked on the doors of the The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to be awarded a shared silver medal. But the CAS would ultimately dismiss the petition.

Phogat is currently in the midst of an intense election campaign with the wrestler representing Congress from Julana assembly constituency in Haryana for the upcoming polls.

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