Washington:

Former US President Donald Trump once again sparked controversy by criticising two Olympic gold medalist female boxers, labelling them as men during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Trump’s remarks, made in the context of his pledge to “keep men out of women’s sports,” have reignited debates over gender and sports.

Referring to the athletes at the recently concluded Paris Olympics, Trump stated, “They were men. They transitioned to women, and they were in the boxing,” adding that it is “so demeaning to women.”

Trump’s comments follow a pattern of his rallies where he has frequently targeted transgender athletes.

The two Olympic gold medalist athletes in question, Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan and Imane Khelif of Algeria have been at the centre of global scrutiny due to misconceptions about their gender.

Both athletes were disqualified from last year’s Women’s World Championships by the now-banned International Boxing Association (IBA) over alleged failures in gender eligibility tests, despite both being born and raised as women.

Khelif and Lin, who were cleared to compete in women’s boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, had been disqualified from the Women’s World Championships in India due to elevated testosterone levels, according to the IBA.

The IBA’s decision, which stripped both boxers of their medals and barred them from women’s competition, was widely criticised for its lack of transparency and fairness.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is overseeing the boxing events in Paris, cleared both Lin and Khelif to compete in the Olympics, basing their eligibility on the athletes’ passport gender.

The IOC condemned the harassment faced by Khelif, who has been subjected to online abuse and threats following the ruling by the IBA. Khelif spoke out against the bullying, warning of its potential to ruin lives.

Trump’s repeated criticism of Khelif, including referring to her as a man, has drawn widespread condemnation from various quarters. His remarks come amidst ongoing debates about the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports, an issue that has polarised opinions across the globe.

The situation has highlighted the broader challenges faced by athletes like Khelif and Lin, who are caught in the crossfire of debates over gender, fairness, and the intersection of sports and identity.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Paris:

French 400-meter runner Muhammad Abdallah Kounta, who took part in the Paris Olympics, has been suspended by the French Athletics Federation after an X account dug up hate speech posted by the athlete, the sports minister said on Wednesday.

“The Federation’s president confirmed he has suspended the athlete and referred the matter both to the public prosecutor and to the Federation’s disciplinary committee,” Amelie Oudea-Castera said on X.

X account Sword of Solomon on Tuesday highlighted some tweets posted by Kounta between 2021 and 2024 in which, among other things, he professes hatred for Israel.

After the revelations, the athlete posted a picture of himself wrapped in a French flag on his social media accounts, saying he was sorry if he had offended people.

“I’m against genocides and all forms of racism or injustice and I don’t think I need to prove how much I love my country. People who were there in the Stade de France (where the athletic events took place) can attest that fact,” Kounta said.

The Paris Olympics have been widely considered a dazzling summertime success that reaffirmed French national pride.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Paris:

French police early Friday arrested an Egyptian wrestler taking part in the Olympics over allegedly groping a woman in a bar, prosecutors said.

Authorities detained Mohamed Elsayed, 26, in front of a cafe in the French capital’s 13th district at around 5 am after he was accused of “placing a hand on the buttocks of a woman patron”, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.

Elsayed, who won bronze at the Tokyo Games, lost to Azerbaijan’s Hasrat Jafarov in the 67 kg Greco-Roman wrestling on Wednesday. His opponent went on to win the bronze medal.

A fellow Egyptian with the same name won a bronze medal in epee fencing at the Paris Olympics.

It was not immediately clear if the wrestler had since been released.

French newspaper Le Parisien said he was “roaring drunk”.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

From being an Olympic medal contender to an unfortunate disqualification and finishing last, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s world turned upside down in a matter of hours. Following her exit from the Olympics 2024, Vinesh announced her retirement from wrestling. Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has now shared a heartwarming post, offering a show of support for Phogat.

Sonu posted on X (formerly Twitter), “When you achieve something which way above any medal. That’s what you have achieved my friend @Phogat_Vinesh.”

“So proud of you. Let’s give her such a warm welcome that every athlete in this country irrespective of any win or lose can proudly say “THATS MY INDIA,” he concluded.

When you achieve something which way above any medal ????
That’s what you have achieved my friend @Phogat_Vinesh .
So proud of you.
Let’s give her such a warm welcome that every athlete in this country irrespective of any win or lose can proudly say ”THATS MY INDIA ???????? “ pic.twitter.com/uWAIjKHg6R

— sonu sood (@SonuSood) August 7, 2024

Vinesh Phogat was to feature in a gold-medal bout in the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling event at the Paris Olympics. The three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist was disqualified ahead of the final after she was found weighing 100 grams over the 50-kg weight limit for her event.

Despite an entire night of hard work and some rigorous sessions in the sauna, she failed to reduce her weight. Vinesh also decided to lodge a protest at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday, challenging her elimination.

Later, sharing a post on social media Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from competitive wrestling. She said that wrestling won the final bout against her and she lost. “Wrestling won the match against me, I lost… my courage is all broken, I don’t have any more strength now.  Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt,” the 29-year-old said on X.

माँ कुश्ती मेरे से जीत गई मैं हार गई माफ़ करना आपका सपना मेरी हिम्मत सब टूट चुके इससे ज़्यादा ताक़त नहीं रही अब।

अलविदा कुश्ती 2001-2024 ????

आप सबकी हमेशा ऋणी रहूँगी माफी ????????

— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) August 7, 2024

Having made her professional debut in 2001, Vinesh had a brilliant start to her Paris Olympics campaign having clinched a win against the top seed and Japan’s defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki in the opening round. In the quarter-finals, Vinesh beat former European champion Oksana Livach of Ukraine. The Indian wrestler secured another convincing victory against the reigning Pan American Games champion Yusneylis Guzman in the semi-final. Phogat was set to take on sixth-seeded American Sarah Hildebrandt in the gold-medal decider.

New Delhi:

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today said that Vinesh Phogat is “tired of fighting”, shortly after the wrestler announced her retirement following the shock exit from the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday.

In a post in Hindi on X, Mr Tharoor said, “This girl is tired of this system… This girl is tired of fighting.”

इस सिस्टम से पक गई है ये लड़की
लड़ते-लड़ते थक गई है ये लड़की…#SorryVinesh! https://t.co/PkAGIqv1HWpic.twitter.com/59N38rT3Lx

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 8, 2024

Ms Phogat, heartbroken over her disqualification, announced her retirement from wrestling today.

“Wrestling won the match against me, I lost… My courage is all broken, I don’t have any strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt,” she wrote in Hindi on X.

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being 100 grams overweight, hours before she was to take on the US’ Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the historic 50-kg freestyle gold medal match.

She had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category on Tuesday night and was assured of at least a silver medal.

The 29-year-old grappler, who usually competes in the 53 kg category, had moved down to the 50 kg weight class for the Paris Olympic Games.

Shortly after her disqualification, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her “a champion among champions” and urged her to “come back stronger”.

“Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair I am experiencing. At the same time… you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head-on. We are rooting for you,” he posted on X.

Vinesh Phogat Demands Olympic Silver

Vinesh Phogat has decided to file an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against her disqualification from the Paris Olympics.

Ms Phogat, who is a three-time Olympian and has won gold medals in both the Asian and Commonwealth Games, has asked for a joint Olympic silver to be given to her.

The verdict is expected to be given today.

An ad-hoc division of the CAS has been set up in Paris for resolution by arbitration of any disputes arising during the Olympic Games or during a period of 10 days preceding the opening ceremony.

Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Ms Phogat in the semifinals, replaced her in the final against Ms Hildebrandt.

Ms Hidebrandt won the bout to claim gold and the Indian wrestler is now banking on the CAS to be a joint silver medallist with Ms Lopez.

Vinesh Phogat of India reacts after winning the match against Yusneylis Guzman Lopez of Cuba.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Vinesh Phogat announces retirement from wrestling day after Olympic disqualification

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Thursday (August 8, 2024) announced her retirement from wrestling a day after she was disqualified from the 50kg category Paris Olympics finals. The seasoned wrestler was disqualified after weighing 100 grams more than the permissible limit in the morning weigh-in ahead of the final.

Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill, amends LTCG tax provision on immovable properties

The Finance Bill 2024 was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) with an amendment relaxing the recently introduced new capital gains tax on real estate. It allows tax payers an option to switch to a new lower tax rate or stick to the old regime that had higher rate with indexation benefit.

‘Will you arrest him again?’: Delhi High Court asks ED on Arvind Kejriwal’s bail plea

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) about the relevance of its challenge to the bail granted to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, when the Supreme Court had already granted him interim bail in the excise policy-related money laundering case.

Wrestler Antim Panghal and team set to be deported from Paris for disciplinary breach

In a major embarrassment for the country, Antim Panghal and her entire entourage is being deported from Paris for a major disciplinary breach where the young wrestler handed her official accreditation card to her sister who was caught by security while leaving the Games Village.

Tunisian President replaces Prime Minister without any explanation

Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked his Prime Minister Ahmed Hachani without explanation on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) and replaced him with Social Affairs Minister Kamel Madouri, his office said in a statement.

Mirabai Chanu’s bid for 2nd consecutive medal falls short, finishes fourth in Paris Olympics

Mirabai Chanu’s courageous push for a second consecutive Olympic medal ended on a disappointing note with the Tokyo Games silver medallist managing a fourth place finish with an aggregate of 199kg in the weightlifting hall of the South Paris Arena here on Wednesday.

Chaos continues in Bangladesh as authorities scramble to bring law and order under control

Students carried out traffic management as volunteers for the second consecutive day on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) in Bangladesh, as a top police official called on every member of the police force to resume their duties gradually and maintain law and order.

Delhi coaching centre death: Court seeks response from CBI on bail application of basement owners

A Delhi court on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) issued notice to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) seeking the agency’s reply on the bail applications of four co-owners of a basement of a coaching centre in Old Rajender Nagar where three civil services aspirants died due to flooding, last month.

Mumbai sessions court frames charges against former RPF constable with murder of four persons

A Mumbai sessions court on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) charged a dismissed Railway Protection Force (RPF) constable Chetan Singh Chaudhary with the murder of four persons and promoting enmity between different religious groups.

Turkiye formally asks to join the genocide case against Israel at the UN court

“Turkiye on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) filed a request with a U.N. court to join South Africa’s lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said. Turkiye’s ambassador to the Netherlands, accompanied by a group of Turkish legislators, submitted a declaration of intervention to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Putin accuses Ukraine of a ‘large-scale provocation’ with its raid in southwestern Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday (August 7, 2024) described a Ukrainian incursion into the country’s southwestern Kursk region as a “large-scale provocation” as his officials asserted that they were fighting off cross-border raids for a second day. Ukrainian officials remained silent about the scope of the operation.

Paris:

With Tom Cruise widely predicted to engage in a death-defying stunt on the roof of the Stade de France, Sunday’s Paris Olympics closing ceremony promises a memorable passing of the five rings flag to Los Angeles.

Two weeks after the unprecedented complexity of the opening ceremony along the River Seine, there are big expectations for the show to wrap up the Games.

The closing ceremony will be a much shorter affair and will take place — in more traditional fashion — at France’s national stadium.

Artistic director Thomas Jolly has revealed it will combine “wonder” with “dystopia”, suggesting some darker elements than the joyful and impertinent tone of the opening ceremony that drew a record audience of more than a billion worldwide.

Offering a sneak peak to journalists recently, Jolly said he saw the Games as a “fragile monument” and wanted to imagine what would happen if they “disappeared and someone was rebuilding them in a distant future”.

One sequence features “travellers from another space-time who arrive on Earth and discover vestiges from the history of the Olympics”, with acrobats restoring the famous five rings of the Games.

It will reportedly feature more than 100 dancers, circus artists and other performers, with the promise of aerial displays, giant sets and spectacular lighting.

Destination Hollywood 

The opening ceremony featured some huge stars including Lady Gaga, Celine Dion and Aya Nakamura, but some big celebrities are also expected Sunday.

Cruise has been at several Olympic events and the most daredevil of Hollywood stars would be a natural connection between Paris and the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

US media have reported that Cruise has been preparing a spectacular stunt to pick up the Olympic flag and transfer it to LA, with video sequences already filmed on both sides of the Atlantic.

There have been no shortage of Hollywood stars in attendance for the Games who might also play a role, including Snoop Dogg, Eva Mendes, Ryan Gosling and Sharon Stone.

There are unconfirmed rumours that Beyonce — a fervent supporter of the US team on social media — may perform.

Two of France’s biggest musical exports — Air and Phoenix — are already lined up to play, according to Le Parisien newspaper.

Organisers will be anxious to avoid a repeat of the controversy sparked by the opening ceremony, which featured drag queens in a sequence that some Christians and conservatives thought mocked the Biblical story of The Last Supper.

Organisers insisted it was a reference to Greek gods> But Jolly and other members of the team have since been victims of social media harassment, triggering police investigations and condemnation from French President Emmanuel Macron.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wished India grappler Vinesh Phogat luck ahead of her final match in the women’s 50 Kg freestyle category event at the ongoing Paris Olympics.

Vinesh became the first Indian to reach the Olympic final in women’s wrestling after beating Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzman 5-0 in the semi-final match on Tuesday.

Taking to social media platform X, Rahul Gandhi said that it was an emotional moment for India since Vinesh Phogat defeated the top three wrestlers to reach the final. He added that Vinesh Phogat’s success in Paris can be heard clearly in Delhi.

“Today, along with Vinesh, the entire country is emotional after defeating three top wrestlers of the world in a single day. All those who denied the struggle of Vinesh and her teammates, and even questioned their intentions and abilities, have got their answer. Today, the entire power system that had made India shed tears of blood collapsed in front of her brave daughter. This is the identity of champions, they give their answer from the field. Best wishes Vinesh. The echo of your success in Paris can be heard clearly till Delhi,” Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.

एक ही दिन में दुनिया की तीन धुरंधर पहलवानों को हराने के बाद आज विनेश के साथ-साथ पूरा देश भावुक है।

जिन्होंने भी विनेश और उसके साथियों के संघर्ष को झुठलाया, उनकी नीयत और काबिलियत तक पर प्रश्नचिन्ह खड़े किए, उन सभी को जवाब मिल चुका है।

आज भारत की बहादुर बेटी के सामने सत्ता का… pic.twitter.com/MzfIrYfRog

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 6, 2024

Olympic Gold medalist Abhinav Bindra said that Vinesh Phogat qualified for the final match even after a torn ligament and a lower weight category and said that nothing can stand in the way of her. The former India shooter added that her ‘resilience and strength’ will inspire everyone in the nation.

“A torn ligament. A lower weight category. An unbeaten world champion. Nothing stands in her way. Can’t wait to cheer @Phogat_Vinesh as she goes for gold. Your resilience and strength inspire us all. What an inspiring day, here’s hoping for one more,” Abhinav Bindra wrote on X.

A torn ligament. A lower weight category. An unbeaten world champion. Nothing stands in her way. Can’t wait to cheer @Phogat_Vinesh as she goes for gold. Your resilience and strength inspire us all. What an inspiring day, here’s hoping for one more! #Paris2024#Wrestling… pic.twitter.com/3AZ56wKEEZ

— Abhinav A. Bindra OLY (@Abhinav_Bindra) August 6, 2024

Vinesh’s sister Geeta Phogat also congratulated the 29-year-old wrestler and said that their father’s dream came true.

“Vinesh Vinesh Vinesh. Pride of the country. Made history by reaching the finals. True Champion. Olympic Silver Medal confirmed, she will play for Gold Medal tomorrow Today. my father’s dream also came true, very emotional moment,” Geeta Phogat wrote on X.

Vinesh Vinesh Vinesh
देश की शान
फाइनल में पहुँच कर रचा इतिहास

True Champion
Olympic Silver Medal पक्का किया कल Gold Medal के लिए खेलेगी
आज मेरे पिता का भी सपना पूरा हुआ बहुत ही भावुक करने वाले पल @Phogat_Vineshpic.twitter.com/Aty52c8HHv

— geeta phogat (@geeta_phogat) August 6, 2024

Earlier in the day, Vinesh starred in the quarter-finals against Tokyo 2020 champion Yui Susaki of Japan.

Susaki was leading 1-0 at the end of the first period, but Vinesh made a brilliant turnaround in the second period, outdoing her Japanese opponent by miles to secure a 3-2 win to make way to the quarter-finals. She handed the Japanese wrestler her first defeat in 82 international matches.

In the quarter-finals against Ukraine’s Oksana Livach, Vinesh took a lead of 2-0 in the first period. However, Oksana managed to deliver a fight in the second period. But Vinesh, the World Championships medalist held off the challenge from Ukrainian and secured a semi-final berth.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Responding to the criticism of the Indian contingent’s costume at Paris Olympics, fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani has said he stands by the design and slammed “armchair critics” for implying that he charged a fee for designing the athletes’ attire.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Mr Tahiliani said his team followed guidelines of International Olympic Committee while designing the kits. “Many things changed in the last minute. I stand by our design. This is what we Indians wear, and this is not to be a couture show. I accept people can have their views. I am good with that, but I stand by what we did,” he said.

“We wanted the team in the colours of the tricolour as most countries follow their flag and that was visible from afar,” he said.

Many in social media have criticised the designer over the Indian athletes’ outfits and described them as dull. “It would have been very easy for me to send them in zardozi vests. But it’s not appropriate,” the designer said in response to such criticism.

Some social media users have pointed out that the outfits have digital prints on them and India, with its rich heritage of handloom and embroidery, should have been represented on this world stage by better attire.

The designer said his team had just three weeks to ready the costumes. “I can’t weave handloom for 300 uniforms in that time. The shoes were brocade, brocade from Benares” he said.

He also responded to the charge that the logo of Tasva, an Aditya Birla Group brand of which Mr Tahiliani is chief design officer, was used on the costumes. “A symbol was made into a border, that’s all. When you see a photograph, you won’t even notice it. We earlier put the Indian flag there, but were told one should not use it. We followed the guidelines,” he said.

The designer strongly denied claims that Tasva charged for designing the costumes. “The cheek of these armchair critics. This was paid for by Tasva. It was not done for a fee, it was done to support our athletes. Asking what I was paid for it just shows their mentality,” he said.

Tasva had earlier said in a statement that it was honoured to design the outfits for the Indian contingent in collaboration with Tarun Tahiliani. “This prestigious collaboration for Tasva, as the ‘Official Ceremonial Dress Partner’ for Team India at the Paris Olympics, marks a significant milestone in Tasva’s journey as it represents the spirit, culture, and elegance of India on the global stage,” it said.

It said the Indian athletes’ ceremonial attire for the opening ceremony draws profound inspiration from the Indian flag. “The tricolor palette embodies national pride and unity. The contemporary silhouettes of the Bundi jacket and the pre-pleated saree when combined with the thoughtful choice of fabrics-cotton and viscose crepe-along with practical detail, not just ensures comfort and functionality for the athletes, but also represents a fine balance of tradition with modernity.”

Responding to the criticism of the Indian contingent’s costume at Paris Olympics, fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani has said he stands by the design and slammed “armchair critics” for implying that he charged a fee for designing the athletes’ attire.

Speaking exclusively to NDTV, Mr Tahiliani said his team followed guidelines of International Olympic Committee while designing the kits. “Many things changed in the last minute. I stand by our design. This is what we Indians wear, and this is not to be a couture show. I accept people can have their views. I am good with that, but I stand by what we did,” he said.

“We wanted the team in the colours of the tricolour as most countries follow their flag and that was visible from afar,” he said.

Many in social media have criticised the designer over the Indian athletes’ outfits and described them as dull. “It would have been very easy for me to send them in zardozi vests. But it’s not appropriate,” the designer said in response to such criticism.

Some social media users have pointed out that the outfits have digital prints on them and India, with its rich heritage of handloom and embroidery, should have been represented on this world stage by better attire.

The designer said his team had just three weeks to ready the costumes. “I can’t weave handloom for 300 uniforms in that time. The shoes were brocade, brocade from Benares” he said.

He also responded to the charge that the logo of Tasva, an Aditya Birla Group brand of which Mr Tahiliani is chief design officer, was used on the costumes. “A symbol was made into a border, that’s all. When you see a photograph, you won’t even notice it. We earlier put the Indian flag there, but were told one should not use it. We followed the guidelines,” he said.

The designer strongly denied claims that Tasva charged for designing the costumes. “The cheek of these armchair critics. This was paid for by Tasva. It was not done for a fee, it was done to support our athletes. Asking what I was paid for it just shows their mentality,” he said.

Tasva had earlier said in a statement that it was honoured to design the outfits for the Indian contingent in collaboration with Tarun Tahiliani. “This prestigious collaboration for Tasva, as the ‘Official Ceremonial Dress Partner’ for Team India at the Paris Olympics, marks a significant milestone in Tasva’s journey as it represents the spirit, culture, and elegance of India on the global stage,” it said.

It said the Indian athletes’ ceremonial attire for the opening ceremony draws profound inspiration from the Indian flag. “The tricolor palette embodies national pride and unity. The contemporary silhouettes of the Bundi jacket and the pre-pleated saree when combined with the thoughtful choice of fabrics-cotton and viscose crepe-along with practical detail, not just ensures comfort and functionality for the athletes, but also represents a fine balance of tradition with modernity.”