Haryana Khaps To Award Gold Medal To Vinesh Phogat On August 25

The khap panchayats, on Sunday, August 18, announced that they would honour Vinesh’s Phogat with a “gold medal” that will be equivalent to the medal that is presented at the Olympic Games. (More Sports News)

Sangwan khap president and independent MLA Sombir Sangwan, and many other leaders went to Phogat’s village in Balali to invite her for the event to be organised in Rohtak on Sunday, August 25.

The khaps from Haryana as well as the other northern states are expected to participate in the event.

“We will make a medal with gold like the one given to gold medallists in the Olympics. It may weigh 50 grams or 100 grams,” Sangwan was quoted as saying by the Indian Express. 

Sangwan also expressed disappointment, and said that Phogat’s disqualification was “intolerable”. He further said that she has won people’s hearts after winning three bouts, and sealing an Olympic final spot.

“The way in which the wrestler was disqualified from the competition on the pretext of being 100 grams overweight is intolerable. There is no doubt that a conspiracy was hatched against her but she has won the hearts of crores of people after winning three matches in the Olympics. That’s why every Indian is giving her more honour than a gold medal winner,” he added.

The khaps are social bodies that are area-based which are primarily active in rural areas of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and a few other states. 

Enroute to the Olympic final, Phogat beat Japan’s Yui Susaki in her opening bout. She then beat Ukraine’s Osaka Livach before beating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman to etch her way into the history books as the first Indian women to compete in a wrestling final at the Summer Games.