Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday announced that India's star wrestler Vinesh Phogat will be welcomed and felicitated like an Olympic medalist and state government will provide all rewards and facilities that it gives to the Olympic silver medalist. Phogat was disqualified from the women’s 50kg event in Paris Olympics after being found overweight hours before her gold-medal bout against American Sarah Hildebrandt. 

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Saini said, "Our brave daughter of Haryana, Vinesh Phogat, performed brilliantly and entered the finals of the Olympics. Due to some reasons, she may not have been able to play the final of the Olympics but she is a champion for all of us."

"Our government has decided that Vinesh Phogat will be welcomed and felicitated like a medalist. All the respect, rewards and facilities that the Haryana government gives to the Olympic silver medalist will be gratefully given to Vinesh Phogat as well. We are proud of you Vinesh!" he further added.

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Reacting to Haryana CM’s announcement to confer all the benefits to Vinesh Phogat that a silver medalist gets, her uncle Mahavir Phogat says, "It's a good initiative by the CM. He accepted the fact that she had received the silver medal. It's a good step and I support this. I thank the Haryana govt, it'll encourage other athletes if such things ever happen to them.”

Following her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024, Vinesh filed an appeal that she should be awarded a joint silver medal. Vinesh was replaced in the final by Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, whom Vinesh had defeated in the semifinals. However, in the finals, Lopez ultimately lost to Hildebrandt. 

Vinesh Phogat scripted history by becoming India’s first woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category on Tuesday. She was assured of at least a silver medal before the disqualification.