"There Has Been Mistake On Vinesh Phogat's Part Too": Saina Nehwal To NDTV On Wrestler's Olympic Disqualification

Vinesh Phogat's day of triumph turned into abject despair on Wednesday morning after the wrestler was disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024. Vinesh had qualified for the 50kg women's wrestling final - the first Indian woman to do so. But now she will have to return empty-handed from Paris. The Indian Olympic Association requested privacy for the wrestler, who was competing in her third Olympics.

International rules stipulate that any grappler found overweight at the time of weigh-in ends up at the bottom of the final standings. She had taken down defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan en route the finals on Tuesday in a remarkable performance and was to face American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the summit bout this evening.

Saina Nehwal, star badminton player, said that the nation was disheartened. "I was cheering for her for the last two three days. Every player trains for this moment. I know what she must be feeling. There are no words to describe this as an athlete. May be the weight shot up. She is a fighter and has always made glorious comebacks. Next time she will make sure, a medal comes," Saina Nehwal told NDTV. 

"She is an experienced athlete. She knows what is right or wrong. I don'y know the details of wrestling. I don't know if there has been any appeal in Olympics which resulted in something significant. She knows the rule. I don't what mistake she did, that too on the final day. I have always seen her working very hard. She gives her 100 per cent."

Saina Nehwal, India's first Olympic medallist in badminton, was surprised by the 'mistake' at such a top level. 

"Generally such type of mistakes don't happen to any athlete at this level. How did this happen is a question mark. Because she has a big team. She