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'When Vinesh will return, we will welcome her like a gold medallist.'
The wait for Vinesh Phogat to learn her fate regarding a potential silver medal at the Paris Olympics has been extended once again.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has deferred its verdict until the evening of August 16 Paris time, leaving the athlete, her family, and the Indian nation in a state of suspense.
Vinesh was disqualified from the women's 50kg wrestling final for being 100 grams overweight. Subsequently, she appealed for a joint silver medal. The repeated delays in the CAS verdict have unleashed a wave of frustration.
Mahavir Phogat, Vinesh's uncle and a renowned wrestling coach, expressed the family's disappointment over the continued postponement.
While speaking to news agency ANI, the wrestling legend said, "We had been waiting for the verdict for the last 5-6 days. We had been expecting the result but we are getting date after date. We will wait for the verdict from the CAS and we will accept it."
"140 crore Indians are waiting for the verdict and we hope the decision is in our favour. When Vinesh will return, we will welcome her like a gold medallist.'111111
2012 Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra offered a unique perspective on the situation, drawing parallels between the athlete's wait and the prolonged preparation period leading up to the Olympics.
He emphasised the importance of patience and resilience in sports, encouraging fans to support Vinesh during this challenging time.
"We've all felt that frustration when something important gets delayed, and today, many of us are feeling that as we wait for Vinesh Phogat's CAS judgment. But here's a thought -- this is kind of like what athletes go through every four years, waiting for another shot at Olympic glory. The nerves, the anticipation, the 'just get here already!' feeling -- we've all been there, right?' Bindra's post read.
"Sport isn't just about what happens on the field -- it's about the waiting, the patience, and the persistence to keep going, no matter what. So while we wait for August 16th, let's remember what our athletes endure and cheer them on, knowing they're playing the longest game of them all.#HangInThere #SupportVinesh #SportIsTough #TeamIndia'.