Synopsis
On April 12, Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam revealed that Vinesh Phogat was awarded a cash prize, land allotment, and a job under the state's sports policy, although she opted for only two. CM Nayab Singh Saini fulfilled his promise to honor Phogat despite her Olympic disqualification.Key Takeaways
- Vinesh Phogat received a cash reward and land allotment.
- CM Nayab Singh Saini fulfilled his promise to honor her.
- Phogat's disqualification at the Paris Olympics was controversial.
- The Haryana government treated her performance as exceptional.
- Phogat plans to use her award to create a wrestling institute.
Chandigarh, April 12 (NationPress) Haryana Sports Minister Gaurav Gautam on Saturday announced that wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat was presented with a cash award, a land allotment, and a government position in accordance with the state's sports policy; however, she opted for only the first two.
He emphasized that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini honored his commitment to recognize Phogat despite her disqualification at the Paris Olympics.
In a statement to IANS, Gautam remarked, "The Chief Minister assured that Phogat would be celebrated like a silver medalist, and he kept his word. We provided three options: a cash reward, a government job, and a Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) plot. She chose the cash reward and the plot."
The Haryana government had extended benefits to Phogat comparable to those given to Olympic silver medalists, even though she was disqualified from the women's 50kg final over a slight weight issue that stirred significant controversy in the sports community.
The Haryana Cabinet resolved to recognize her performance as outstanding, taking into account her progress to the finals.
Phogat made history as the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final, although her journey ended unexpectedly when she was controversially disqualified from the gold medal match after failing her second weigh-in.
This incident, which attracted both sympathy and criticism, concluded her Olympic campaign, leading Phogat to announce her retirement from competitive wrestling.
Recognizing the disqualification as a procedural matter, CM Saini referred to Phogat as "Haryana's pride" and assured her that her recognition would not be undermined due to the unfortunate event in Paris.
While the state government has consistently supported Phogat, the Opposition accused the BJP-led administration of politicizing the situation and inadequately backing her during the Olympics.
"Politics should not interfere in sports. The Chief Minister honored his commitment by conferring silver medalist benefits to Phogat, proving that he delivers on his promises," Gautam asserted.
Phogat, in turn, disclosed her intention to invest the Rs 4 crore cash reward into establishing a premier wrestling training institute for aspiring athletes.
She expressed that this initiative would serve as a tribute to the sport that earned her national and international recognition, aiming to cultivate the next generation of wrestlers from Haryana and beyond.
