Priyanka Chaturvedi criticizes IOA over Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification

New Delhi [India], August 12 (ANI): Priyanka Chaturvedi, currently serving as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra and the Deputy Leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), has publicly condemned the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) for its handling of Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification on Monday.

Taking it to the social media platform ‘X’, Chaturvedi accused the IOA of abandoning its responsibility towards Indian athletes and failing to protect their interests.

“Wow. So IOA totally washes its hands off any responsibility vis a vis Indian athletes’ interest. Vinesh Phogat has truly been denied justice and thrown under the bus, shame on IOA for releasing this statement while very well knowing Phogat’s case for silver is being deliberated,” Chaturvedi tweeted.

Her statement comes in the wake of the IOA’s controversial response to the ongoing deliberations surrounding Phogat’s claim to a silver medal. The association’s apparent indifference has drawn significant criticism from various quarters.

Chaturvedi further criticised PT Usha, the legendary Indian sprinter and the current head of the IOA, by recalling her earlier comments directed at the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar.

Usha had previously admonished the wrestlers, claiming they were tarnishing India’s image by demanding justice for sexual harassment allegations. Chaturvedi highlighted this as yet another instance where the IOA has let down the country’s athletes.

“The statement is a reminder of how PT Usha ji went to Jantar Mantar and told the wrestlers they were bringing a bad name for India by protesting for justice against sexual harassment. What a letdown she has been as the head of IOA,” Chaturvedi remarked.

The Shiv Sena leader’s strong words have sparked a broader debate about the IOA’s role in supporting Indian athletes, particularly in situations where they are seeking justice or fighting for their rights.

As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the IOA will respond to these mounting criticisms and whether any changes will be made to address the concerns raised by Chaturvedi and others.

Everything heated up after IOA put up a statement on Sunday.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Dr PT Usha on Sunday clarified that the responsibility of weight management of athletes in sports like wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and judo is that of each athlete and his or her coach and not that of the IOA-appointed Chief Medical Officer Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala and his team.

Dr Usha said that each Indian athlete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in such sport had his or her own support team. These support teams have been working with the athletes over so many years, as per a statement from IOA.

The IOA appointed a medical team a couple of months ago, primarily as a team that would assist in the recovery and injury management of athletes during and after their competition. This team was also designed to support athletes who did not have their own team of nutritionists and physiotherapists.

Dr Usha said that the hate directed at the IOA medical team, especially Dr Pardiwala, is unacceptable and worthy of condemnation. She expressed hope that those rushing to judge the IOA medical team would consider all the facts before arriving at any conclusions,” the statement read.

This statement comes after Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the women’s 50 kg final as she breached the weight limit ahead of the title clash.

Notably, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has extended the deadline for delivering its verdict on whether to award a silver medal to Vinesh Phogat, who was disqualified from the Paris Olympics, till Tuesday, August 13.

According to a statement from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), CAS has extended the time for the final verdict till Tuesday, August 13, 6:00 PM Paris time and 9:30 PM IST.

“The ad hoc division of CAS has extended time for the Sole Arbitrator Hon Dr Annabelle Bennett in the Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling & the International Olympic Committee matter to give a decision till 6-00 p.m. on August 13, 2024,” the IOA said in its statement on Saturday.

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