On Wednesday, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat faced a heartbreaking disqualification from the women’s 50 kg freestyle event at the Paris Olympics, just hours before her gold-medal match against American Sarah Hildebrandt. The disqualification came as a shock, particularly since Phogat had made history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic wrestling final. She was found to be slightly overweight, which led to her disqualification, and she will finish last in the final standings for the event.
The Indian contingent announced the news on social media, expressing regret over the situation. They revealed that despite their best efforts, including extreme measures throughout the night, Phogat’s weight remained 100 grams over the 50 kg limit. The statement urged respect for Phogat’s privacy and requested to focus on the ongoing competitions.
In the wake of the disqualification, Vinesh Phogat became a trending topic in India, with many searching for answers about whether she would receive a medal. According to the rules set by United World Wrestling, athletes who fail the weigh-in are eliminated from the competition and ranked last without a medal. As per Article 11 of the rulebook, this situation does not provide for any medal or ranking for the disqualified athlete.
Reports indicate that Phogat was two kilograms over her weight limit the night before the weigh-in. Despite a desperate attempt involving jogging, cycling, skipping, and even cutting her hair and drawing blood, she could not make the required weight. Phogat had previously defeated defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan to secure her place in the final, and Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Phogat in the semifinals, will now compete in the gold-medal bout.
The disqualification also affected the medal distribution, with the repechage match between Yui Susaki and Oksana Livach of Ukraine becoming the new bronze medal match.
