Antim Panghal returns to India after Olympic controversy

PTI, Aug 9, 2024, 4:07 PM IST

New Delhi: Indian wrestler Antim Panghal, who found herself in a soup following a disciplinary breach at the Olympic Games’ athletes village in Paris, returned to country on Friday.

The wrestler grabbed headlines on Wednesday after she tried to facilitate her sister’s entry into the athletes village through her accreditation card, after which they were summoned by the police.

The incident left the country embarrassed and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) furious and the apex sports body promptly decided to fly Panghal and her support staff back home after the act of transgression was brought to its notice by the French authorities.

Although the world championship bronze medallist said she did not “intend to do anything wrong,” she is expected to face disciplinary action for violating the rules inside the athletes village.

Clad in a team India jersey, Panghal quickly exited the Indira Gandhi International Airport, refusing to speak to the waiting scribes on the controversy.

Panghal was knocked out of the competition after losing her opening 53 kg freestyle bout 0-10 to Turkey’s Yetgil Zeynep on Wednesday morning.

Following the loss, Panghal, who claimed she was unwell, allegedly gave her accreditation card to her younger sister Nisha and sent her to the Games Village to collect her belongings.

However, she was stopped by the village security personnel. By late Wednesday evening, both Panghal and her sister found themselves at the police station within the village.

“I was not well and there was confusion. All of this happened due to confusion,” Panghal had said in a video message to PTI.

To make matters worse, Panghal’s support team, comprising coaches Bhagat Singh and Vikas, were also involved in a separate matter involving a Parisian taxi driver and the police.

They allegedly refused to pay the cab fare and behaved inappropriately with the driver before quickly retreating inside. The cab driver later reported the incident to the police.