In another display of their support to Vinesh Phogat, the khap panchanyats have decided to award the wrestler with a 'gold medal' after she returned home from the Paris Olympics with a heartbreaking end to her campaign.
Vinesh was disqualified after being found 100gm overweight on the second weigh-in ahead of her gold-medal match in the 50kg freestyle event at the Games. Her subsequently appeal with Court of Arbitration for sport to be awarded a joint silver medal was also dismissed.
"We will make a medal with gold like the one given to gold medallists in the Olympics. It may weigh 50 grams or 100 grams," said Sangwan khap president and independent MLA Sombir Sangwan, according to a report in The Indian Express.
Sombir, who is also an MLA, and other khap leaders visited Vinesh on Sunday at her village, Balali, to invite her for the felicitation in Rohtak on August 25.
"The way in which the wrestler was disqualified from the competition on the pretext of being 100 grams overweight is intolerable," said Sangwan. "There is no doubt that a conspiracy was hatched against her but she has won the hearts of crores of people after winning three matches in the Olympics. That’s why every Indian is giving her more honour than a gold medal winner."
According to the report, khap leaders from Haryana and other adjoining states in the north will be present at the felicitation ceremony.
Vinesh returned from Paris on Saturday last week.
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