Medal or not, hope people never forget Vinesh's efforts for India: Neeraj

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra is keeping his fingers crossed for wrestler Vinesh Phogat as she awaits a verdict on her appeal against disqualification from the Games but at the same time, he is also hoping that "people don't forget what she did for the country" if the decision is not in her favour.

Vinesh was found 100gm overweight before her 50kg category final on Wednesday and she has appealed against her disqualification in the ad-hoc division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport here. A decision on the appeal is expected to be delivered by 9.30pm IST.

Chopra, who claimed his second successive Olympic medal -- a silver to follow up on the gold in Tokyo --, said he wants the medal around Vinesh's neck for one simple reason -- "people shouldn't forget her."

"If she gets the medal, it would be very good. If things had not panned out the way they did, she would have had the medal. I hope she gets it because if you don't have it around your neck, that thing stays in your heart,"