The disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling final at the Paris Olympics is indeed a heartbreaking turn of events for her and the Indian sports community. Vinesh, who had already made history as the first Indian woman to qualify for a wrestling final at the Olympics, faced this setback due to being 100 grams over the weight limit.
Background and Efforts:
1. Weight Category Shift: Vinesh typically competes in the 53kg category but chose to compete in the 50kg category for these Olympics. This required her to make significant adjustments to her weight.
2. Extreme Measures: To meet the weight requirement, Vinesh undertook extreme measures, including cutting her hair and attempting to draw blood. Despite these efforts, she was unable to cut the final 100 grams needed.
3. Weigh-in Procedure: According to Ravi Dahiya, athletes are usually given a specific time frame to meet the weight requirement. If an athlete is overweight at the weigh-in time, they may have a short period to adjust. However, if the weight is not within the limit by the end of that time, disqualification is inevitable.
4. Pre-Olympics Preparation: Vinesh had undergone rigorous preparation, including sauna sessions and other weight management techniques, to compete in the 50kg category. Her coach had even considered cutting her hair before the Olympics to help reduce weight but decided against it.
Impact and Response:
Medal Contention: With Vinesh disqualified, the gold medal will be awarded to Sarah Hildebrandt of the USA. No silver medal will be given, and bronze medals will be decided through standard bouts between losing semifinalists and those from the repechage rounds.
National Sentiment: The disqualification has been a major disappointment for millions of supporters in India who were eagerly anticipating a gold medal from Vinesh. The sports community and fans are deeply affected by this turn of events, which adds to the emotional weight of her journey.
Vinesh’s story reflects the intense challenges athletes face, not only in their performance but also in managing their physical condition under extreme pressure.
