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Vinesh Phogat disqualified, to miss out on Paris Olympic medal
Phogat was disqualified for exceeding the weight limit by a mere 100 grams.
Vinesh Phogat was disqualified on the day of her gold medal match against USA at the Paris Olympics. /
In a disappointing turn of events for India, wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the Paris Olympics 2024 after being deemed overweight for her women's 50kg final, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) confirmed.
Phogat, who had made history as the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal match, was found to be 100 grams over the weight limit. According to Olympic rules, the wrestler will not be eligible even for a silver medal and will be ranked last.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class,” the IOA said in a statement through X. “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.”
It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class. 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…
— Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) August 7, 2024
Having overcome numerous challenges at home to reach the final at the Paris Games, Phogat was all set to spearhead India's gold medal prospects on Day 12. Despite the setback, Phogat's achievement of becoming the first Indian female wrestler to come this close to an Olympic final was a historic moment for the sport.
She made the weight for Aug.6's bouts but as per rule, wrestlers have to stay within their weight category on both days of the competition. In a statement, IOA President PT Usha acknowledged Phogat's efforts and assured her full support. She also announced that an appeal regarding the issue has been raised with the international wrestling federation.
According to Dr. Dinshaw Padriwala, India's chief medical officer for the games, Phogat and her team tried and failed to meet the weight requirements despite extreme measures like cutting her hair and wearing shorter clothes.
Unlike her usual 53 kg division, Phogat has had trouble in the past meeting the weight limit for the 50 kg category. She encountered a similar challenge during the Olympic qualifiers, where she barely managed to qualify.
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