In a devastating turn of events at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling final due to being overweight. Phogat, who was poised to become the first Indian woman to compete for an Olympic gold medal in wrestling, weighed in approximately 100 grams over the 50kg limit on the morning of her bout.Despite desperate efforts to lose weight, including skipping meals and running through the night, Phogat couldn’t make the required weight. The Indian team’s plea for extra time to help Vinesh adjust her weight was turned down by Olympic officials.As a result of her disqualification, Phogat will not be eligible for any medal. According to Olympic rules, the 50kg category will now only have gold and bronze medal winners. USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt, who was set to face Phogat in the final, will automatically receive the gold medal.The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) released 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. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning.’ This disqualification marks a heartbreaking end to Phogat’s Olympic journey, which had seen her defeat world No. 1 Yui Susaki of Japan and secure victories against wrestlers from Ukraine and Cuba on her way to the final. The incident has sparked controversy on social media, with some questioning the fairness of the disqualification and others criticizing Phogat’s support staff for not monitoring her weight more closely.Despite this setback, India still has medal hopes in other events, including Avinash Sable in the 3000 Metre Steeplechase final and Mirabai Chanu in the Women’s 49 KG category in Weightlifting.
Key points
- Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Olympic wrestling final for being 100 grams overweight.
- Phogat’s disqualification means she is ineligible for any medal, including silver.
- USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt will automatically receive the gold medal in the 50kg category.
- The incident has sparked controversy and debate about weight management in sports.
Contradictions👾Some sources state that Phogat was ‘a few grams’ overweight, while others specify it was ‘100 grams’.
This minor discrepancy doesn’t significantly affect the overall story.
