Paris Olympics 2024: Wrestler Antim Panghal’s Team Faces Deportation, Accreditation Revoked in Paris

Antim Panghal’s group will be sent back from Paris after her sibling Nisha utilized the Indian wrestler’s approval to enter the Olympic Games Village during the Paris Olympics 2024 but was captured by the police. The police interrogated Nisha but she was released after some time. The authorities have chosen to expel Antim’s whole group and her approval was also annulled following the incident. Antim had previously suffered a humiliating 0-10 defeat to Turkey’s Yetgil Zeynep in the women’s 53 kg category.

“The Indian Olympic Association has determined to fly wrestler Antim and her support team back after a disciplinary violation was brought to IOA’s attention by the French authorities,” the IOA stated.

After losing her match, she went to the hotel, where her assigned coach Bhagat Singh and actual coach Vikas, who is also her coach, were staying, PTI reported.

Antim instructed her sister to go to the Games Village and retrieve her belongings. While her sister succeeded in entering the Village, she was apprehended by the security guard while exiting.

She was escorted to a local police station to provide her statement and the 19-year-old junior world champion Antim was also summoned by the police to provide her statement.

If that was not sufficient, Antim’s personal support team — Vikas and Bhagat — have reportedly traveled in an intoxicated condition in a taxi and declined to pay the fare after which the driver contacted the authorities.

“We are addressing the issue at present,” said an IOA insider.

“We have a difficult circumstance at hand, our security officer is managing the situation. They may be deported, let’s wait and see,” the official insider included. 

The 19-year-old newcomer’s aspiration of staying in contention for a bronze medal through repechage were also crushed after Zeynep was defeated by Annika Wendle of Germany in the quarterfinals. Previously, World Championships bronze medalist Antim, who was among the first to secure an Olympic quota in the division previously held by Vinesh Phogat, was outperformed in 101 seconds in the initial round.

(With PTI contributions)