Tendulkar praises sports ethics of Vinesh Phogat, advocates for silver medal at Olympics
Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar expressed solidarity with Vinesh Phogat who was disqualified from Olympics wrestling finals event, a few hours before the finals. He took to X, on Friday, to call the situation an 'umpire's call' and demanded Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), a sports dispute court based in Lausanne, Switzerland, that she be handed over a silver medal.
"Every sport has rules and those rules need to be seen in context, maybe even revisited at times. Vinesh Phogat qualified fair and square for the finals. Her disqualification by weight, was before the finals, and hence, for her to be robbed of a deserving silver medal defies logic and sporting sense", he said in the post.
Stressing on her unblemished sportsmanship throughout the event, Tendulkar said that disqualification of an athlete was acceptable only if he or she had breached sports ethics by any unacceptable behavior like usage of performance enhancing drugs. "In that case, to not be awarded any medal and be placed last would be justifiable. However, Vinesh bet her opponents fairly to reach the top two. She definitely deserves a silver medal", he said. Tendulkar also solicited prayers for Vineesh Phogat to get the recognition she deserves, while awaiting the verdict of the CAS.
After defeating previous Olympics champion Yui Susaki of Japan, Phoghat was scheduled to fight US wrestler Sarah Hildebrandt in her last match on Wednesday. However, she was denied the chance for being 100g overweight for the 50 kg category in which she fought.
#VineshPhogat #Paris2024 #Olympics @WeAreTeamIndia pic.twitter.com/LKL4mFlLQq
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) August 9, 2024
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Terror threat: Security heightened near key religious, heritage sites in Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): Security was tightened across key religious and heritage sites in Delhi on Saturday, including areas around the Red Fort and parts of Chandni Chowk, following intelligence inputs suggesting a possible terror threat, an official said.
Security agencies issued an alert on a possible explosion threat near Red Fort, a major tourist destination and high-security zone, after Central intelligence agencies indicated that Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has allegedly kept prominent religious places in India on its target list.
Sources said specific inputs suggested that a temple in the Chandni Chowk area could be among the potential targets.
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While the intelligence inputs are being verified and assessed, security has been stepped up in and around sensitive religious places and crowded public areas, they added.
Intelligence agencies indicated that LeT could be attempting to carry out an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)-based attack. The alleged plan is reportedly linked to attempts by the terror group to avenge the February 6 blast at a mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, sources said.
Central agencies and Delhi Police units are maintaining close coordination, and surveillance has been intensified through CCTV monitoring, vehicle checks and deployment of additional personnel at vulnerable points. Bomb disposal squads, dog squads and quick reaction teams have also been placed on standby at strategic locations, they added.
The alert comes in the backdrop of the deadly car explosion near the historic Red Fort on November 10, 2025, which killed at least 13 people and injured more than 20 others. The blast occurred when a car loaded with explosives detonated near Gate No 1 of the Red Fort metro station, igniting multiple vehicles nearby and causing panic in the densely populated area.
Security agencies have urged people to remain vigilant and immediately inform police or emergency services about any suspicious objects or activity. However, officials said there is no cause for panic and that the measures are precautionary in nature.
Further intelligence gathering and verification of inputs are underway, an official said.
