NEW DELHI, Aug 9 (Reuters) – Indian wrestler Anthem Panghal, who landed in trouble after violating disciplinary rules at the athletes' village during the Paris Olympics, returned home on Friday.
The wrestler hit the headlines on Wednesday after he tried to facilitate his sister's entry into the sports village using her accreditation card, after which they were summoned by the police.
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The incident embarrassed the country and angered the Indian Olympic Association, and the apex sports body immediately decided to send Panghal and his support team back to their home country after French authorities drew their attention to the illegal act.
Although the World Championship bronze medallist said he “didn't mean any harm”, he is expected to face disciplinary action for breaking Sports Village rules.
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Panghal immediately walked out of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, dressed in an Indian national team uniform, and refused to speak to waiting reporters about the controversy.
Panghal was eliminated from the competition after losing her opening match in the 53kg freestyle 0-10 to Turkey's Yatcil Zeynep on Wednesday morning.
After the defeat, Panghal declared himself ill, gave his accreditation card to his younger sister Nisha and sent her to the players' village to collect his belongings.
But the village security guards stopped him. On Wednesday evening, Panghal and his sister reached the village police station.
“I was not feeling well and there was confusion. All this happened because of confusion,” Panghal said in a video message to the Press Trust of India.
To make matters worse, Panghal's support team, including coaches Bhagat Singh and Vikas, is also embroiled in another case involving a Paris taxi driver and the police.
They allegedly refused to pay the taxi fare and behaved inappropriately towards the driver before quickly retreating inside. The taxi driver then reported the incident to the police.
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