Indian wrestler Antim Panghal has addressed the recent rumours about her and her sister’s alleged arrest in Paris. Following her 0-10 loss against Turkey’s Yetgil Zeynep, reports emerged claiming that Panghal attempted to sneak her sister into the Olympic Games village using her accreditation card and was subsequently detained by French police. Panghal has clarified that these reports are false.
In a video statement shared by NNIS Sports, Panghal explained that while her sister was indeed taken to the police station, it was solely for identity verification. After Panghal’s bout loss and feeling unwell, she went to her sister Nisha’s hotel. Panghal had left some of her belongings in the Olympic Village and requested her sister to retrieve them. Nisha used Panghal’s accreditation card to enter the village and ask for the items, which led the authorities to take her to the police station for verification. Nisha was released shortly after the verification was completed and returned with the accreditation card.
Panghal also addressed another rumor involving her coaches. Reports suggested that her coaches had a confrontation with a cab driver, but Panghal clarified that it was a misunderstanding due to a language barrier and a delay in payment. The situation was not as severe as reported.
Regarding her return to India, Panghal confirmed that her flight was booked by the federation soon after her elimination from the Paris Games. She requested that rumors be avoided as her time in Paris had been challenging enough.