WFI suspends Vinesh Phogat for indiscipline

TIL Desk Sports/ The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) on Tuesday “temporarily suspended” star grappler Vinesh Phogat for indiscipline during her forgettable Tokyo Olympics campaign and also issued notice to young Sonam Malik for misconduct.

It has been learnt that Vinesh, who crashed out of the Tokyo Games in the quarter-finals after a crushing defeat by ‘fall’, has been given time till August 16 to reply to the notice that mentioned indiscipline on three counts. Vinesh, who had travelled to Tokyo from Hungary where he had trained with coach Woller Akos, had refused to stay at the Games Village and train with the other Indian team members.

She also did not wear the name of the official sponsors of the Indian contingent, Shiv Naresh, and chose to wear a Nike singlet during her bouts. “This is gross indiscipline. She has been suspended temporarily and barred from all wrestling activities. She can’t compete in any national or other domestic event until she files a reply and WFI takes a final decision,” a WFI source told.