'No conspiracy, will make 100 Vinesh Phogats': Mahavir Phogat on wrestler's retirement announcement

Mahavir Phogat, star wrestler Vinesh Phogat's uncle and the real star behind Aamir Khan's 2016 runaway hit Dangal, on Thursday said that there is no conspiracy behind his niece's disqualification from Paris Olympics 2024. He added that the Olympics body has its own rules and the disqualification happened according to their rule book.

In a crushing blow to India's hopes of winning big in Wrestling at the Paris Olympics, Vinesh Phogat on Wednesday was disqualified from the wrestling final for being 100 gms overweight during the morning weigh-in. On Thursday morning, Phogat announced her retirement from the sport, while saying she does not have it in her to fight anymore. 

When asked why did Vinesh decide to retire from wrestling, he said that gold medal in Olympics was confirmed this time but she got disqualified and was hurt. He said that the country is saddened by his niece's disqualification from Paris Olympics, while adding that this pain will go away only when she brings a gold medal. 

"I think the court could give her respite but it's hard," Mahavir Phogat said. Furthermore, Mahavir Phogat, who taught Vinesh wrestling, said that whenever she comes, the family will convince her to change her decision of retiring from the sport. 

He added that when Vinesh will return, they will motivate her to compete in the upcoming 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

"When she will return, we all, me, Bajrang Punia and others will motivate her for upcoming 2028 Olympics. In 2016, she could not win Olympics due to injury, in 2020 and 2024, she was in pressure due to protests against the federation (Wrestling Federation of India) and Brij Bhushan Singh," the former wrestler said. 

He also said that he will convince his younger daughter Sangeeta Phogat to prepare for Olympics. "In future, I will talk with Sangeeta, my younger daughter, to prepare for Olympics. I will make 100 Vinesh Phogats who will be winning medals in Olympics," he said. 

Meanwhile, Vinesh Phogat has appealed with the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) against her disqualification from the wrestling final. She has demanded that she should be awarded a joint silver medal with Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez. If the CAS rules in Vinesh's favour, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will have to award a joint silver medal to her.