Indian wrestler Bajrang Punia found himself in controversy after he was seen standing on a ‘Tiranga’ poster while welcoming Vinesh Phogat at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on August 17.
Vinesh Phogat arrived from the Paris Olympics, where her appeal for a silver medal was dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) following her disqualification from the gold medal match. Her return was marked by a grand reception, with fellow wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia present to greet her.
In a video that surfaced online, Bajrang Punia was captured standing on the bonnet of a car adorned with a ‘Tiranga’ poster. While managing the crowd and media, Punia inadvertently stepped on the poster.
Watch:
So @BajrangPunia standing on ‘Tiranga’
Fun fact you can’t criticise him because he has represented India in olympic games so he has freedom to do all this. pic.twitter.com/FNDniKuyXI
— BALA (@erbmjha) August 17, 2024
The footage quickly went viral, leading to criticism from netizens who accused him of disrespecting the Indian flag. Although it appeared to be unintentional, the act was deemed disrespectful by many.
Amidst the controversy, Vinesh Phogat was visibly emotional upon her return. After the Paris Games, she had stayed in France to await the verdict on her disqualification. Phogat had appealed for a joint-silver medal, having won all her bouts except the final, where she was disqualified for exceeding the weight limit by 100 grams. The CAS upheld the disqualification based on IOC and United World Wrestling rules.
Vinesh Phogat in tears …!!!
– Vinesh is back in India! 🇮🇳pic.twitter.com/ulzn7A8JI9
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 17, 2024
Upon her arrival, Phogat was overwhelmed by the reception and broke down in tears. Bajrang Punia, while addressing the media, praised Phogat’s resilience and expressed gratitude to the supporters. “She (Vinesh Phogat) is being welcomed like a champion. The country saw Vinesh’s journey from the streets to the podium. We thank all the countrymen,” Punia remarked.