 "Vinesh Phogat, disqualified at Paris Olympics, gets Rs 4 crore cash reward from Haryana government: Report")
The tussle between wrestler-turned-Congress leader Vinesh Phogat and the Haryana BJP government is over after the 30-year-old opted for Rs 4 crore prize money for her performance at the Paris Olympics 2024. Phogat reached the final of the 50kg wrestling category at the Paris games but was later disqualified .
However, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini had said that Phogat would be treated as a silver medallist and the government would reward her as same.
Phogat gets cash reward for Olympics outing
Phogat was given an option of a cash reward, a residential plot or a Group A government job. She picked the Rs 4 crore prize money as her reward. The reward for the most decorated female wrestler in India will be arranged under Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP).
It must be noted that while the Haryana government promised her the reward, it wasn’t released so far, prompting Vinesh to raise the matter during the Haryana Assembly’s budget session.
Now an MLA from Julana on a Congress ticket, Phogat said: “It is not about money. It is about respect.”
Immediately after Phogat raised the matter, the Haryana government released the award.
The Haryana government is known for its rich rewards to the sportspersons. The state government offers Rs 6 crore reward to Olympic gold medallists, Rs 4 crore to silver medallists and Rs 2.5 crore to bronze medallists.
In August 2024, at the Paris Olympics, the then 29-year-old Vinesh Phogat made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final. However, her dream run ended in heartbreak when she was disqualified just before the gold medal bout for exceeding the 50kg weight limit by 100 grams — a technical but strict violation under United World Wrestling regulations.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThough the disqualification was on procedural grounds, it quickly took on a political tone. Many connected it to Phogat’s prominent role in the 2023 protest alongside fellow wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik. The trio had halted their training to demand justice, accusing former Wrestling Federation of India president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing female wrestlers.
As news of her disqualification spread, Haryana Chief Minister Saini expressed support for Phogat in a post on X, calling her “Haryana’s pride.”
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