Sachin Tendulkar demands Olympic silver for Vinesh Phogat after disqualification controversy

New Delhi: Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has called for wrestler Vinesh Phogat to be awarded a silver medal after her disqualification before the 50kg category final at the Paris Olympics. Vinesh, who reached the finals after a remarkable performance, was disqualified for being overweight, leading to her subsequent retirement announcement. She has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with the plea being accepted on August 8 and the hearing currently in progress.

Tendulkar advocates for fairness

In a statement on his official X account, Tendulkar expressed his belief that Vinesh Phogat was unjustly denied a medal she earned through fair competition. He emphasized that her disqualification was unrelated to any unethical practices, such as the use of performance-enhancing drugs, and should be reconsidered. 

"Every sport has rules and those rules need to be seen in context, maybe even revisited at times," Tendulkar stated. "Vinesh Phogat qualified fair and square for the finals. Her disqualification by weight was before the finals, and hence, for her to be robbed of a deserving silver medal defies logic and sporting sense."

#VineshPhogat #Paris2024 #Olympics @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/LKL4mFlLQq

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 9, 2024

Call for Justice

Tendulkar highlighted that disqualification for weight, rather than unethical behavior, was an unjust reason to deny her a medal. "It would have been understandable if an athlete were to have been disqualified for ethical breaches such as the usage of performance-enhancing drugs. In that case, to not be awarded any medal and be placed last would be justifiable. However, Vinesh beat her opponents fairly to reach the top two. She definitely deserves a silver medal."

Awaiting CAS verdict

As the appeal process continues, Tendulkar urged for recognition of Vinesh's achievements. "While we all wait for a verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, let us hope and pray that Vinesh gets the recognition she deserves," he concluded.

The CAS announced on August 9 that a decision regarding Vinesh Phogat's disqualification would be made before the conclusion of the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024. The case has been assigned to sole arbitrator Dr. Annabelle Bennett, with the process currently underway.