Wrestler Antim Panghal will pay the price for major indiscretion at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 with IOA set to ban her for 3 years.
Paris: Wrestler Antim Panghal, who caused embarrassment to the Indian Olympic contingent by trying to facilitate her sister’s entry into the athletes village through her accreditation card, will be banned for three years by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Panghal had crashed out of the Olympics after losing her opening bout in the women’s 53kg category on Wednesday.
“The decision will be formally announced after she reaches India,” the contingent source said told news agency PTI.
The Indian Olympic Association decided to send her and her support staff back after the disciplinary breach was brought to its notice by the French authorities. “Her sister was caught for impersonation and was taken to a police station to record her statement,” a source had revealed last night.
Breaking!🚨
Indian wrestler Antim Panghal’s sister is detained by Paris Police while Antim’s accreditation is revoked.
She is expected to be flown back after her sister illegally entered Olympic village using Antim’s accreditation card.
What our IOC administrators are doing… pic.twitter.com/KaaIaxx0s9
— Veena Jain (@DrJain21) August 8, 2024
Antim Panghal and her entire entourage were deported from Paris for a major disciplinary breach where the young wrestler handed her official accreditation card to her sister who was caught by security while leaving the Games Village. “The Indian Olympic Association has decided to fly wrestler Antim and her support staff back after a disciplinary breach was brought to IOA’s notice by the French authorities,” an IOA statement said.
While IOA did not share what the disciplinary breach was, a source shared the details with PTI. “Instead of heading to the Games Village, she reached the hotel where her coach Bhagat Singh and sparring partner Vikas, who is actually her coach, were staying. Antim asked her sister to go to the Games Village and come back with her belongings. Her sister was caught for impersonation and was taken to a police station to record her statement,” said the source.
The 19-year-old U20 world champion Antim was also called by police to record her statement. If that was not enough, Antim’s personal support staff – Vikas and Bhagat – travelled in an inebriated state in a taxi and refused to pay the driver, who then called police.
When contacted, Vikas flatly refused their involvement in such an incident. “Who told you this? Antim and her sister are sitting right before me,” said Vikas.
