Indian wrestler Antim Panghal’s entourage is set to be deported from Paris after her sister, Nisha, attempted to enter the Olympic Games Village using Antim’s accreditation.
The incident occurred during the Paris Olympics 2024, leading to police intervention and subsequent questioning of Nisha. Although she was released, the authorities decided to deport the entire entourage and cancel Antim’s accreditation.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced the decision to send Antim and her support staff back to India following this disciplinary breach, as reported by the French authorities.
After losing her bout against Turkey’s Yetgil Zeynep in the women’s 53 kg category, Antim returned to her hotel, where her designated coach Bhagat Singh and actual coach Vikas were staying.
Antim asked her sister to collect her belongings from the Games Village. While Nisha managed to enter the Village, she was apprehended by security while leaving. Both Nisha and Antim were taken to a local police station to record their statements.
Adding to the complications, Antim’s coaches, Vikas and Bhagat, allegedly traveled in an inebriated state in a cab and refused to pay the fare, prompting the driver to call the police. An IOA source described the situation as dire, with their security officer handling the matter.
Antim’s hopes of competing for a bronze medal through the repechage round were dashed when Zeynep lost to Annika Wendle of Germany in the quarterfinals. Antim, a World Championships bronze medallist and one of the first to secure an Olympic quota, was eliminated in 101 seconds in the first round.
