Neeraj Chopra on Vinesh Phogat disqualification: ‘I felt really, really sad’

Paris: Neeraj Chopra was at the breakfast table in the Athletes’ Village on Wednesday morning, a day before his final, when he found out about what had transpired with Vinesh Phogat.
India’s confirmed medallist in the 50kg women’s division had been disqualified for being above her weight by around 100 grams and was placed last after fighting for a gold medal.
Neeraj Chopra, whose silver is the best show by an Indian so far at these Paris Games, said he hasn’t spoken to Vinesh Phogat yet but felt hurt for her.
Vinesh Phogat had beaten Japan’s Yui Susaki in her opening bout on Tuesday morning, minutes before Chopra took the field at Stade de France for his qualification. When India’s Tokyo champion came to know about Vinesh’s feat, he was ecstatic, only for it to meet despair the next day.
“Whatever she has done here, woh ek misaal hai. To beat Yui Susaki is in itself such a big thing. And after that, whatever she has been through, I don’t understand the rules of wrestling that well. But, she was on her way confidently to gold. But then, this (disqualification) happened. I felt really, really sad,” Neeraj Chopra said.
Neeraj Chopra, India’s two-time Olympic medallist, felt Vinesh Phogat’s journey of merely getting to her third Olympics, overcoming physical setbacks at various stages of her career, was inspiring.
“Jo Vineshji ki journey rahi hai, everyone knows how tough it has been. In 2016 (Rio Olympics), to overcome such a dangerous injury, and then in 2020 to have more injuries. She has been through so many personal setbacks,” Neeraj Chopra said.
He added, “And for her to come back from that, recover from it, get herself to this position and be mentally strong from all that…it was going so well. Phir pata nahi, bhagwan ko kuch aur hi manzoor tha (maybe God wished something else for her). But we know that whatever she has done, it is great.”