Whole Of India Is With Her, She's A Champion: Sports Fraternity Hails Vinesh Phogat

The Indian sporting fraternity reacted with disappointment at the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) verdict rejecting wrestler Vinesh Phogat's appeal against her Olympic disqualification but said she will remain a champion for them.

The ad-hoc division of the CAS on Wednesday rejected Vinesh's appeal against a gut-wrenching disqualification from the Paris Olympics 50kg final for being 100gm overweight, which dashed any hopes of securing a belated silver medal.

"It's disappointing but we can't do anything about that," hockey legend PR Sreejesh, who retired after inspiring the Indian team to a second consecutive Olympic bronze medal in the Paris Games, told PTI Videos.

Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia said a medal has been snatched away from Vinesh.

"I believe your medal was snatched away in this darkness. You are shining like a diamond in the whole world today," Punia, who led a long sit-in protest along with Vinesh and Sakshi Malik accusing former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing women grapplers, posted on 'X'.