‘Patience is the Key’: Abhinav Bindra Keeps His Fingers Crossed over CAS’ Verdict on Vinesh

Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification has taken the entire country and the Indian contingent in Paris by storm. The 29-year-old, who became the first women wrestler to qualify for the Olympics final, was left heartbroken after getting disqualified for being 100gm overweight. She was just a step away from clinching the first-ever wrestling gold for India but an excess of 100 grams robbed her chance to glory.

A few hours later, Vinesh decided to part ways with the sport forever. She announced her retirement from wrestling after launching an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport to seek a silver medal following her historic run to the final.

While the people of India are hoping for the verdict to go Vinesh’s way, India’s shooting legend Abhinav Bindra believes that rules make a sport what it is, and they need to be followed without exception.

“It’s an incredibly tough situation. Frankly, I don’t even know what to say. I mean the rules are very clear — where you draw a line. Sport is always governed by the rules. If you don’t govern sport by rules, there is no sport,” Abhinav Bindra told India Today.

Bindra doesn’t have a clue about the direction in which the case is heading but he too is keeping his fingers crossed.

“But, of course, I fully empathise with Vinesh. It’s an incredibly difficult time for her. Everybody’s heart is broken. We are all there for her. I had the opportunity to meet her as well,” he said.

“I really don’t know where this would end. I know the decision, now, has been postponed for a couple of days. So, I think one just has to be patient. I am not privy to the arguments that have been made, I am no legal expert. So patience is the key,” Bindra added.

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