India’s celebrated wrestler

Vinesh Phogat

, visibly distraught and in tears, returned home from Paris on Saturday as she landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport after her Olympic campaign ended in heartbreaking circumstances.
Vinesh was disqualified from the 50kg freestyle final after being found 100gm overweight. As she arrived home, a robust security presence was evident at the airport, besides the family and friends, including Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, who came to welcome Vinesh.

“Vinesh is returning to the country.

People have come here at the (Delhi) airport to welcome her. People are also waiting to welcome her at our village. People are excited to meet Vinesh and encourage her,” her brother Harvinder Phogat said.

After her disqualification earlier this month for being slightly over the weight limit (50kg) on the day of her gold-medal match, Phogat remained in Paris to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking a shared silver medal. However, her appeal was ultimately rejected on Wednesday.

Gagan Narang, the bronze medalist shooter from the London Olympics who served as the Indian contingent’s Chef de Mission in Paris, shared a photograph with Phogat at the Paris airport, referring to her as a champion. Both of them were on the same flight back to Delhi.

“She came as a champion on day 1 into the games village and she will always remain our champion. Sometimes one doesn’t need an Olympic medal to inspire a billion dreams.. @vineshphogat you have inspired generations. Salute to your grit,” Narang posted on X.