Lies, Medals, and Betrayal: The Vignesh Story

It is very common for sports organizations leading Team India to international competitions to face unexpected situations. Some athletes attempt to use sports events as a means for illegal migration, use others medals and certificates to manipulate to their name, raise funds, and gain privileges—privileges that even the event organisers often struggle to obtain.

At the 20th World Muay Thai Championship, we encountered such a situation, which we want to document as we are well aware of how some individuals manipulate narratives to serve their own interests.

Two athletes brought shame upon us and India. The first, Mr. Vignesh Sundar Krishnan, earned his position in Team India. Upon asking about his club and coach, he stated that he did not represent any club and had no coach. He initially signed up for the -75kg Pro-Am division.

With only 10 to 12 days remaining before the event, he messaged us requesting a change to the -81kg and -86kg divisions. Mr. Hemanth Kumar advised that he could sign up only if no Indian fighters had registered in those divisions. Vignesh claimed there were none, but in reality, we had fighters in all divisions.

On March 8th, Mr. Hemanth Kumar informed him that an Indian fighter had already registered, and Vignesh could not switch. At this point, he started requesting that the fighter shift to the Pro-Am category, citing that he was a senior and also a coach. Eventually, he chose to compete in the -86kg Pro-Am division. Mr. Hemanth made the necessary changes.

However, after all the adjustments, Vignesh’s mother, who introduced herself as a lawyer, approached Mr. Hemanth and requested that he be allowed to fight in the Pro-Am division but with a head guard. This statement shocked us. Mr. Hemanth lost his patience and gave them one hour to decide, as both mother and son were arguing, negotiating, and distracting him from his responsibilities. Finally, it was decided that Vignesh would compete in the -75kg amateur category, and his final entry was confirmed.

Afterward, he kept messaging, persistently asking how many competitors were in his category. Despite being repeatedly told that the official draws would be conducted on the morning of March 10th, he kept inquiring about last year’s numbers. Mr. Hemanth convened a meeting with the team coaches, who agreed to ignore the matter, assuming the family lacked sports knowledge and didn’t know when to stop making requests.

Another issue arose when Vignesh added Vishal Segal to the Team India group without permission. When questioned, he claimed he had not sent an invite and had not spoken to Vishal for over six months. Mr. Hemanth promptly removed Vishal, as he had not earned a position in the team. We already had five dedicated coaches working tirelessly, and allowing someone to randomly join without admin approval would have been disrespectful. We decided to overlook this incident.

Vignesh’s category had 11 fighters. His fight was scheduled early, and he performed well but lost. The next day, both he and his mother left for Pattaya without informing anyone, despite clear instructions not to leave the hotel or the team without informing the coaches. If they wished to explore the city, they were instructed not to wear Team India outfits. When they returned, Mr. Hemanth called them for an explanation. Both apologized in a manipulative manner, making Mr. Hemanth uncomfortable. He decided to let it go, as their manner of apologizing was not genuine.

That same evening, they attempted to leave again. Mr. Hemanth asked whether they were there to enjoy the city or to support the team. He pointed out that while other athletes and coaches were focused on preparation, they were behaving differently. They reluctantly agreed to stay at the stadium.

Later at the stadium, Vignesh unexpectedly approached Mr. Hemanth with a fighter from Lebanon, requesting an extra fight. His request was calmly denied, but he began behaving childishly—begging and pleading for an additional match. He even started talking to different teams on his own. His mother then approached Mr. Hemanth with the same request. After 20 minutes of explanation, she still insisted, asking, “Sir, can you try once?” At this point, we realized their pattern of playing the innocent victim card. Mr. Hemanth, fed up, walked away.

Meanwhile, Vignesh continued pestering the team, making everyone, including parents, uncomfortable. That day, we had four important fights lined up, including two crucial professional bouts for Mr. Chandan and Mr. Sumanth. His interruptions led to both fighters scolding him in front of everyone, warning him not to disturb the team. He finally stopped.

The next day, during the Under-18 medal ceremony, Vignesh’s mother returned, once again asking for an extra fight. She also asked Mr. Hemanth to speak with her husband over the phone. At the same time, it is believed that Vishal Segal may have spoken to one of the coaches. However, during the medal ceremony, both mother and son kept pushing for an extra fight, which infuriated Mr. Hemanth. He scolded them, stating that this was a World Championship, not a shop where fights could be picked at will. Other coaches and parents had to step in and remove them from the scene. Due to their distractions, we missed Agnindran Ghosh’s medal call. After a discussion, we managed to have her name announced again during the senior medal ceremony.

On the last day of the medal ceremony, Vignesh’s mother approached Mr. Hemanth Kumar, demanding a certificate. Frustrated, he told her not to instruct the organizers on how to do their job. Yet, she continued her relentless requests. Mr. Hemanth walked away. In his absence, she, Vignesh, and another individual, Vidit (who did not fight), approached the officials and requested medals and certificates. Upon being informed that they needed to go through Mr. Hemanth, they ignored the rule. Vidit managed to sneak in and take a silver medal and certificate, while Vignesh took a bronze medal and certificate. They immediately ran back to their hotel, ignoring messages and calls from the official Team India group.

Within two hours, messages began arriving as the federation learned of their actions. Mr. Hemanth called Vidit, who initially lied but later confessed and returned the silver medal and certificate, which was immediately handed back to the Director-General of WMF. However, Vignesh and his mother ignored all attempts to contact them. When another coach called from a different number, his mother answered and denied taking the medal. Upon being asked to meet immediately, she disconnected the call, claiming she couldn’t hear properly.

On the last morning in Bangkok, Mr. Hemanth confronted Vignesh’s mother at the reception. She initially denied taking anything. When Mr. Hemanth raised his voice, she admitted to only taking a participation certificate. When she showed it, Mr. Hemanth tore it apart and demanded that they return the stolen medal and certificate. A witness recognized her and advised her to return them, stating that what they did was unacceptable. She then changed her story, claiming she thought everyone would receive a bronze medal.

Realizing she was trying to manipulate the situation, Mr. Hemanth warned them. She then cleverly shifted the topic from stealing medals to the torn participation certificate. Understanding her tactics, Mr. Hemanth asked for an apology letter in exchange for a participation certificate. She initially wrote it on a school notebook page. Mr. Hemanth rejected it, requesting a proper letter on white paper.

As he was boarding the bus, she submitted a letter with deliberately unclear handwriting, making it difficult to read. Mr. Hemanth refused to accept it and left, stating they could bring a proper letter in their home city.

Later, she directly approached WMF for the certificate, but they rejected her request.

These individuals are scam artists who rob hardworking athletes of their rightful achievements. Such behavior cannot be forgiven. Golden Mongkhon is not for frauds or fake medalists.

We will wait until March 28, 2025, for the medal and certificate to be returned along with an apology letter. If they fail to do so, further action will be taken.