Javelin star Neeraj Chopra has expressed his hopes and concerns as wrestler Vinesh Phogat awaits the verdict on her appeal against disqualification from the Paris Olympics.
Phogat was disqualified after being found 100 grams overweight before her 50kg category final on Wednesday. She has since appealed the decision to the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with a ruling expected by 9:30 PM IST on Saturday.
Chopra, who recently secured his second consecutive Olympic medal—this time a silver following his historic gold in Tokyo—hopes that Vinesh will be awarded the medal she deserves. However, he is also concerned that the country might forget her contributions if the decision does not go in her favor.
"If she gets the medal, it would be great. But even if she doesn't, I hope people don't forget what she's done for India," Chopra said.
He added that while Phogat’s absence from the podium may linger in her heart, it shouldn’t diminish her achievements. "Today, people recognize her as a champion, but I worry that if she doesn't have the medal around her neck, they might forget her after a while. That’s what scares me."
Chopra, who remains the only Indian track-and-field athlete to have won two Olympic medals, emphasized the significance of Phogat's contributions to Indian sports, regardless of the outcome of her appeal. His own gold medal from Tokyo remains an unparalleled milestone in Indian athletics.