Vinesh Phogat, a former Indian wrestler, said that she would use the Rs 4 crore prize money she earned from the Haryana government to establish a top-notch sports school for aspiring athletes.

Under Haryana’s premier sports programme, which gives medal-winning sportsmen the option of a government job, land allotment, or financial compensation, Phogat was given this honour. According to the policy, an Olympic gold medal is worth Rs 6 crore, a silver medal is worth Rs 4 crore, and a bronze medal is worth Rs 2.5 crore.

Phogat received the monetary reward comparable to a silver medallist even though she was disqualified from the women’s 50kg division for a minor weight violation.

Vinesh announced the plan to construct the sports academy on his official social media account.

“The true win is when a player’s efforts are acknowledged. I’ve received a lot of love, respect, trust, bravery, and support from the public. The moment has come to pay back the debt incurred by all of this. Given my experiences as a public spokesperson and the hardships I have seen, my duties now extend beyond a single athlete to thousands of aspirations of people who want to use sports to secure their future in a secure setting.

My goal has always been to provide the next generation of athletes better facilities and a positive sporting atmosphere. It’s time now. In an X post, the former wrestler said, “I will always be grateful for the respect and honour given to me by the entire society and the Haryana government for my performance in the Olympics.”

“This government-given prize money is more than simply a gift; it’s a chance and a way for me to fulfil a goal I’ve had for years. In order to provide young athletes with the finest tools to develop their skills to the fullest, this award money will be utilised to establish an international sports academy.

An academy where young athletes get the respect and motivation that every dedicated athlete deserves, in addition to being free from a lack of resources. I shall thus want your assistance since this is not just my ambition but our collective desire, and it is our duty to realise it.” The post was updated.

Shortly after being disqualified from the Olympic Games in Paris, Vinesh announced her retirement from wrestling and turned to politics.
Prior to the final, she was discovered to be almost 100 grams overweight in her 50-kg category weigh-in. Vinesh was scheduled to compete against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States for the gold medal in the final.
Vinesh is now an MLA from Julana and ran in the Haryana Assembly elections after joining the Congress party last year.