Phogat episode: Celebrate her grit but revamp sports administration

livemint.com:

What's done is done. Let us celebrate the victories and the sheer talent and grit of our hero, Vinesh Phogat. This should also be the starting point to revamp India’s sports management—reminding administrators that their roles are not for power play, but for a greater national cause.

Vinesh Phogat has been a stalwart of Indian wrestling, a symbol of resilience, determination and excellence. Over the years, she has consistently demonstrated her prowess on the mat, bringing home numerous accolades and making India proud on the global stage. Her poignant disqualification in the Olympic finals for being overweight by a mere 100gm for her category strikes a chord with every sports enthusiast.

But then, the rules are set for a reason—these lines define fairness and must never be crossed. This incident, while disheartening, underscores a crucial lesson: rules are rules, and they apply universally, irrespective of our aspirations and emotional inclinations. Just as no one can ask for an Olympic re-run after losing a gold medal by a fraction of a second in the 100-metre sprint (the difference between winners is often 0.005 seconds), every athlete must respect and adhere to the unwavering rules crafted for fair competition.

The global sports stage is immense and athletes do everything in their power to ace the contests. An Olympic medal or victory can be life-changing, opening opportunities and resources that can redefine their careers, as well as the future of their coaches, trainers and extended support staff. Given the high stakes, athletes dedicate blood, sweat and tears to victory.