Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
The cover picture of the Olympics section in the JioCinema mobile app displays all Indian Olympians who won medals in different sports events at Paris Games this year. However, JioCinema seems to have chosen to omit wrestler Vinesh Phogat's image from the app, but carries it with other medalists on its official X handle.
Much to the agony of Phogat, she was disqualified by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) referee on the morning of August 7 for being overweight. She was not allowed to fight her final 50 kg women's wrestling bout against America's Sarah Hildebrandt.
Phogat filed an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) demanding a joint silver medal. Her case is being represented in CAS by high-profile senior advocates Harish Salve and Vidushpat Singhania, and the verdict in the matter will be announced today (August 13, 2024)
The cover image of the JioCinema mobile app has the images of Olympics 2024 medalists Neeraj Chopra, Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, Swapnil Kusale, Indian Hockey team with PR Sreejesh, and Aman Sehrawat in the picture.
A social media user shared the two images, one with Phogat and the medalists and another without the photo of Phogat on JioCinema platforms and alleged that "the picture was removed after BJP supporters outraged over it".
"Jio is owned by Nita Ambani who also happens to be an IOC member. Nita Ambani who was in Paris throughout the Olympics did not even meet Phogat or speak with her at the India house in Paris. Everything is starting to make sense now, the whole system conspired against Vinesh Phogat," the user alleged in the post.
Below is the post and a screengrab of the JioCinema mobile app:
Phogat's disqualification drew attention from sportspersons globally to politicians in India. The parliament monsoon session that concluded recently also witnessed questions by the Opposition to Modi government. Even as Phogat awaits a decision by CAS, Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya's submission in the Parliament on Government of India's expenditure on Phogat also drew mass criticism.
Phogat's medical team and IOA has also drawn criticism reacting to which IOA President P T Usha recently said that it is the responsibility of the athlete to manage their weight and the attack on its medical team was "unacceptable and worthy of condemnation."
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav slamming the Modi government at the Centre said Usha's statement is "reprehensible" and added: "Is the Indian Olympic Association pointing a finger at the support team along with the coach? These people are also associated with the association. The question also arises as to who selected the support team. People are asking if the responsibility was only of those people, then why was the chief medical officer sent along."
On the day of her disqualification, Prime Minister consoled the wrestler through a post on X and asked IOA to present a strong protest against the decision.
Meanwhile, many prominent people including American wrestling legend Jordan Burroughs, Hockey India's P R Sreejesh, and former cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly have demanded that Phogat must be awarded with the silver medal.
United World Wrestling (UWW) President Nenad Lalovic did express grief over Phogat's disqualification, but has upheld that rules must be followed. The whole of India's wrestling fraternity and the sport lovers worldwide are eyeing the decision by CAS today.