08082024-TTB-01.qxd 8/8/2024 12:07 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 219 | 18 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA ELECTION PANEL IN UT TODAY, LEADERS HOPE FOR TIMELY POLL J&K KURSK ATTACK MAJOR PROVOCATION: PUTIN WORLD /thetribunechd MURMU IN NEW ZEALAND BIMSTEC: INDIA FOR PREFERENTIAL TO BOOST BILATERAL TRADE PACT BUSINESS RELATIONS BACK PAGE thursday | 8 august 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com UNPHOGATTABLE AGONY Overweight Vinesh disqualified, billion hopes weighed down by 100 gm ROHIT MAHAJAN V IN PARIS INESH PHOGAT, icon of Indian wrestling, the face of the resistance against excesses of sports officials, won’t return from Paris with the medal she so richly deserved. Shortly after 8.30 am on Wednesday, Vinesh Phogat received possibly the most heartbreaking news of her life — guaranteed at least a silver medal after her three breathtaking wins yesterday, Vinesh was disqualified from the 50kg freestyle field. There would be no gold for Vinesh — there would be no medal at all, for she was chucked out, barred, her name scratched from the 50kg final against Susan Hilderbrandt of the US. After winning three bouts yesterday — including the shock win over world and Olympics 50kg champion Yui Susaki of Japan — the 29-year-old was seen skipping rope with great energy. Vinesh had weighed in at under 50kg yesterday, but added close to 2kg through the day — and was trying to lose weight at the wrestling venue, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, glittering in the night as if shedding stardust. Vinesh then went in, desperate to shed weight, and practised on the training mats until close to midnight, according to national coach Virender Singh Dahiya; she left for the Games Village around 11.30 with her team — her physio, strength and conditioning coach, personal coach Woller Akos and practice partner. “We don’t know what happened in the morning. Her weight was fluctuating between extra 100 gm and 125 gm,” said Dahiya. Desperate to lose weight, Vinesh tried everything — sauna, treadmill, skipping, running. It didn’t help. To shed a few more grams, she got a haircut. A wrestler gets 15 minutes on Day 2 to make the weight cut — Vinesh tried everything but was 100 gm too heavy at the end of 15 minutes. Hungry, thirsty, dehydrated, desperate, Vinesh was devastated. “She lost so much liquid that she stopped sweating,” said a source aware of how the horror unfolded through the night and the morning today. “She was disconsolate and her tears didn’t stop flowing.” The ordeal was to get worse: After 24 hours of strenuous efforts, and emotional highs and lows, Vinesh was completely dehydrated and was taken to the medical centre at the Games Village. Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, the head of the medical team, said: “As a precautionary measure, Vinesh was administered IV fluids (through a drip) to prevent dehydration. All of Vinesh’s parameters were normal throughout this process, and she feels perfectly well.” Perfectly destroyed in the mind, however. According to coach Dahiya, Vinesh was distraught, crying without a pause. Vinesh’s suspension sent a shock through the wrestling community — almost as strong a shock Vinesh caused yesterday by beating the invincible Susaki, the defending champion. Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, beaten by Vinesh in the semifinals, could not believe her luck — she was elevated to the final. Vinesh’s tragedy drew out kindness and sympathy from the wrestling community. Susan Hilderbrandt, the Greece coach, sorry for Vinesh, said it’s tougher for women to lose weight. “I’ve tried to cut 5-7 kg in a day, using the sauna suits and saunas, cutting out a lot of continued on page 13 edit: Winner Vinesh Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service ❝ It’s hard luck... we missed the medal, but it’s part of the game. VINESH PHOGAT IOA chief PT Usha with Vinesh Phogat after she was hospitalised following her disqualification in Paris. PTI PARIS 2024 MEDAL TALLY NO ESCAPE, RULES ARE RULES Nenad Lalovic, president, United World Wrestling, said, “I’m so sad what happened to her (Vinesh). She was overweight, even though by a small margin. But rules are rules. I don’t see what can be done. If we go off the rules, we have anarchy.” Yunus-led govt to be sworn in today; major rejig in B’desh security setup Dhaka/New Delhi, August 7 Nobel laureate Prof Mohammad Yunus, the designated head of Bangladesh’s interim government, on Wednesday fervently appealed everybody “to stay calm and refrain from all kinds of violence” as the country witnessed a major reshuffle in the security establishment following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government. Army chief Gen Waker-UzZaman announced that the interim government would take oath on Thursday around 8 pm. He said the advisory council may have 15 members. General Zaman said the armed forces would provide all possible support to Yunus. Yunus, whose name was first proposed for the top job by the coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination movement, congratulated the “brave students” who took the lead in making, what he said, “Our second Victory Day possible.” “Let us make the best use of our new victory. Let us not let this slip away because of our mistakes,” said the 84year-old economist, who will Sabotage vs support: Govt, Oppn wrestle it out in Parl HAUL INDIA 00 00 03 03 BSFfoils infiltration bid near WB border New Delhi, August 7 The BSF on Wednesday thwarted a “significant” infiltration attempt by a large group of Bangladeshis along the International Border (IB) in West Bengal, amid an ongoing high alert announced due to turmoil in Bangladesh. Officials said their personnel stopped about 120-140 Bangladeshi citizens who were trying to cross over to the Indian side. Sources said Bangladeshi nationals were gathering near the border, but they were made to disperse after dispelling their concerns. “These gatherings were prompted by fears of attacks by protesters in Bangladesh,” a BSF official said. — TNS New Delhi, August 7 Wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s shock exit from the Paris Olympics triggered a massive political sparring back home with the Congress-led opposition crying “conspiracy” behind the tragic development even as India lodged a strong protest with the world wrestling body. Opposition parties walked out of both houses after Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya made a statement in Parliament, informing MPs that Phogat had been disqualified under the United World Wrestling rules. Soon after it was reported that Phogat was disqualified after being found overweight by 100 gm, PM Narendra Modi spoke to Indian Olympic Association chief PT Usha in Paris and asked her to explore the full range of options to help the wrestler. In a consolation post earlier, PM Modi called Phogat “a champion among champions” and Home Minister Amit Shah said this “misfortune is merely an exception in Vinesh’s trailblazing career”. “Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing. At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you,” said Modi. An unamused Opposition, however, asked why the PM, who congratulated the Indian hockey team even after it lost the semi-final match to Germany on Tuesday, did not similarly congratulate Phogat after she took down reigning Olympic champion 3-2 in the pre-quarter final match. “Who stabbed Phogat in the back? Who are the people who could not digest her success? She won three bouts. How did her weight increase continued on page 13 Opposition MPs stage a walkout in support of Vinesh Phogat. PTI ❝ CHAMPION AMONG CHAMPIONS: MODI Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing. At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience… Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you. Narendra Modi, PRIME MINISTER Mahavir too weighs in, blames it on diet coach Ravinder Saini Tribune News Service Charkhi Dadri, August 7 ‘Dangal’ fame Mahavir Singh Phogat, Vinesh Phogat’s uncle on whose life the Bollywood blockbuster is loosely based on, has blamed his niece’s diet coach for her shocking exit from the Olympics hours before her final match for gold in the 50kg category. A Dronacharya awardee, Mahavir said it was the coach’s responsibility to select a diet that ensured a wrestler’s weight remained in check. “A night before the bout, the wrestler’s weight is checked and diet is given accordingly. The diet coach is solely responsible for her being overweight,” he asserted. The father of international wrestlers Geeta and Babita Phogat, he broke down in tears while talking to The Tribune at Jhojhu Kalan village in Charkhi Dadri district of Haryana where he has set up Mahavir Phogat Sports Academy to train budding wrestlers. Mahavir Singh Phogat, uncle of wrestler Vinesh Phogat. A former wrestler himself, Mahavir is among the pioneers of women’s wrestling in India. “Vinesh’s disqualification has shattered everyone’s dream of winning a wrestling medal at Paris Olympics. There is an atmosphere of sorrow in our village and across the country. I am yet to speak to Vinesh, so don’t know what diet she took after her semifinal bout. My son-in-law Bajrang Punia shared this shocking news over the phone in the morning,” said Mahavir, his voice choking. He said after Vinesh’s semifinal victory, he had already continued on page 13 1st Bishnoi interview filmed in Kharar: SIT Bypoll for 12 RS seats on Sept 3 Saurabh Malik New Delhi, August 7 The byelections for as many as 12 Rajya Sabha seats across nine states, including one in Haryana, will be held on September 3. The result will be declared the same day, the Election Commission said. A notification for the elections will be issued on August 14 and the last date for filing papers is August 21, it said. Of the 12 seats, 10 fell vacant after the respective members won the Lok Sabha elections. The prominent among them are Union ministers Piyush Goyal, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Sarbananda Sonowal and continued on page 13 Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 7 Nearly nine months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court described “known criminal” Lawrence Bishnoi’s in-custody interview as “glorifying crime and criminals” and a matter of grave concern, a special investigation team (SIT) constituted by the court has revealed that the first interview was conducted at the Kharar premises of the CIA, followed by another in Rajasthan. The SIT report comes in the wake of a two-member highpowered committee consti- Black sheep must be brought to book: HC Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. FILE tuted by the Punjab Government, which had claimed that it was “highly improbable” that the interviews were continued on page 13 Tribune News Service Scandalous:SC expunges HC judge’s remarks Satya Prakash Supporters of former PM Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party during a mass rally in Dhaka. PTI return home from Paris on Thursday to take charge. He appealed to all students, political parties and nonpolitical people to stay calm. His appeal comes as the Army chief acknowledged that there were incidents of looting and anarchy after Hasina’s ouster. He said the police forces became “totally dysfunctional” and it was not possible on the part of the military along with the navy and air force troops to “fill the void”. “But we will do everything possible to bring the culprits to justice,” he added. With police absent from their duty to keep law and order or manage traffic, students carried out traffic management as volunteers for the second consecutive day on Wednesday. There were reports of attacks on police stations and facilities across the country on Tuesday, continued on page 13 Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 7 Terming it “absolutely unwarranted”, “wholly unnecessary” and “a matter of great concern”, the Supreme Court on Wednesday expunged the critical comments made by Justice Rajbir Sehrawat of the Punjab and Haryana High Court against it for staying con- c m y b ❝ COMPLIANCE NOT A MATTER OF CHOICE Compliance with the orders passed by the Supreme Court is not a matter of choice but a matter of bounden constitutional obligation. — Five-judge Special Bench tempt proceedings in a case pending before his Bench. “Compliance with the orders passed by the Supreme Court is not a matter of choice but a matter of bounden constitutional obligation. Parties may be aggrieved by an order. Judges are, however, never aggrieved by an order passed by a higher constitutional or appellate court,” a five-judge Special Bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said. “Whether individual judges are in agreement with merits or otherwise of an order passed by a superior court is besides the point. Every judge is bound by discipline…,” it noted. “Justice Rajbir Sehrawat has made observations with regard to continued on page 13