In a heartbreaking turn of events, Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the Paris Olympics after failing to meet the weight limit for her 50 kg gold medal bout. Despite rigorous efforts, Phogat was found to be slightly over the permissible weight limit on the morning of her final match.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) issued a statement expressing regret over the disqualification. "It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class," the statement read. "Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning. No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests you respect Vinesh’s privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand."
Sources revealed that Phogat was approximately 100 grams over the weight limit, which led to her disqualification. Under the competition rules, she is ineligible for a silver medal, and the 50 kg category will only feature gold and bronze medal winners.
Phogat, who had made weight for Tuesday’s bouts, struggled to stay within the category on both days of the competition. Reports indicate she was about 2 kilos overweight on Tuesday night and spent the entire night trying to shed the excess weight through various means, including jogging, skipping, and cycling. Despite these efforts, she could not meet the required criteria.
The Indian delegation reportedly requested additional time for Phogat to lose the last 100 grams, but this plea was denied. This is not the first time Phogat has faced challenges with weight management in the 50 kg category, a lighter division compared to her usual 53 kg class. She had a similar struggle during the Olympic qualifiers.
Phogat had made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final of the Olympics. She defeated the world number 1, Yui Susaki of Japan, and secured two more impressive wins against wrestlers from Ukraine and Cuba to reach the gold medal bout. She was set to compete against Sarah Hildebrandt, an opponent against whom she had a favorable head-to-head record. However, with her disqualification, Hildebrandt will now be awarded the gold medal, while Phogat will return home without a medal.
