Bajrang Punia probably got carried away

Vinesh Phogat. Pic/Getty Images

The news that the sporting fraternity and sports lovers in the country dreaded came a couple of days before it was scheduled to be announced. The sole arbitrator for the CAS hearing the appeal made by Vinesh Phogat against her disqualification came out with a single line dismissing the appeal and with it dashing the hopes of millions of Indians who were expecting a silver medal.

What the country thought was a very minor transgression was still one in the eyes of the arbitrator and so the decision dashed a million hopes. The detailed order is not yet out at the time of writing and whether there will be another subsequent appeal against that remains to be seen, but for the moment it's pure disappointment and sadness among the Indian sports lovers and its sporting fraternity.

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Forever in everyone's hearts

That said, Vinesh has won the hearts of everyone with her dignified behaviour and though that is not the same as winning an Olympic medal, it is a fact that she will be in the hearts of Indian sports lovers forever.

There have been loads of reactions to the judgement and that itself will tell Vinesh how valued she is by the country who held their breath as she strove not just on the wrestling mat but also on the streets of Delhi to get justice for her fellow athletes. Bajrang Punia, who was with her throughout that ordeal on the streets, said what every right thinking Indian believes that she is the World champion and Rustam-e Hind. He might have gone a bit too far by saying those who want a medal can go buy it for R15. Whether he has been quoted correctly or not is not known, but it wasn't just Vinesh, but practically the whole country that was expecting the medal and if he is telling the country to go and buy a medal, he is trivialising not just the fight for justice for Vinesh but also those who have won the medals. He himself has got a medal so did he buy it for R15 ? Or did the other athletes who have won the medals buy it too? No sir, he and they worked hard for it, put in the hard yards, made heaps of sacrifices and only after that did they win it.

Hoping for a happy ending

So maybe he got a bit carried away in trying to show solidarity with Vinesh, but may have overlooked that millions of Indians were in solidarity with her too. Every sports loving Indian is hoping for a happy ending to this saga. Let's wait and see with our fingers and toes crossed.

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