Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50 kg women’s freestyle wrestling for being overweight by 100 grams
Paris Olympics 2024: India’s ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat announces retirement after being disqualified from the 50 kg women’s freestyle wrestling at Paris Olympics 2024 due to being overweight by a mere 100 grams. She was supposed to compete for gold against Sarah Ann Hildebrandt of the United States. Phogat was the first Indian woman in history to have reached the Olympic semi-finals in her category. She was replaced by Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the finals, whom Phogat had won against in the semifinals.
Why was Vinesh Phogat disqualified?
Vinesh Phoghat was just a few moments away from competing for Olympic gold when her weight exceeded 100 grams during the morning weigh-in on Wednesday. As per international regulations, if a wrestler is found to be overweight during the weigh-in process, regardless of their performance in the tournament, they will automatically be placed at the bottom of the final standings.
Vinesh Phogat retirement: “I don’t have any more strength now”
Following the heartbreaking events of Tuesday, Vinesh Phoghat took to X on Wednesday to announce her retirement saying, “Maa, kushti mere se jeet gayi, main haar gayi. Maaf karna, aapka sapna, meri himmat sab toot chuke. Isse zyada taqat nahi rahi ab. Alvida, kushti. 2001-2024”- “Wrestling has defeated me, I have lost. Forgive me, your dreams my courage all is broken. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye Wrestling. 2001-2024.”
Paris Olympics 2024: What led to Vinesh Phogat to quit wrestling
In an attempt to bring her weight under 50 Kg, Vinesh Phogat took some drastic measures. On Tuesday night, after winning the semifinals, she was weighed. At that time she overweighed by 2 kg. Indian contingent’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala coordinated with Chef de Mission and IOA president PT Usha to work overnight towards bringing Phogat’s weight down to under 50 kg. With minimal food, water, and sleep, Phogat spent Tuesday night trying her best to lose the extra weight. On August 7, the day of the finals, she was still a little above 50 kg. In a last attempt to manage the weight, her hair and clothes were trimmed before the second official weigh-in. On Thursday morning, despite all efforts, Phhogat was found overweight by a mere 100 grams and disqualified from playing the gold bout. Final efforts are made to reverse the decision but in vain. Vinesh Phogat got dehydrated and was hospitalized at the local Olympic hospital. In an unfortunate turn of events, Phogat had to watch Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who she had defeated with a powerful 5-0, win a silver medal for her country.
Vinesh Phogat creates history
On Tuesday, Vinesh Phoghar became the first Indian woman to reach the final of a wrestling event at the Olympics. She went against Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez and secured her spot in the finals with a dominant 5-0 win. This was Phogat’s third Olympic appearance. She had previously contested the 48 kg category of the Rio Olympics in 2016 and the 53 kg category of the Tokyo Games. Vinesh Phogat was the first Indian woman wrestler to win a Gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games in 2018. After her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024, Vinesh Phogat appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, requesting that she be awarded a joint silver medal.
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