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India’s star wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the Paris Olympics on the morning of her gold medal fight after coming in overweight, officials said.
Phogat was slated to lock horns with Sarah Hildebrandt of the US later on Wednesday after defeating Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzmán in the 50kg semifinal.
Sources told The Indian Express Phogat was about 2kg overweight on Tuesday night. She made a desperate bid to make weight by jogging, skipping and cycling through the night. But at a weigh-in in the morning she was still 100 grams over, the daily reported.
The Indian Olympic Association confirmed her disqualification at around 8.30am Paris time. “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,” it said in a statement.
“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.”
This means Phogat, who was assured a silver medal at least, will not be eligible for a medal. She will also be ranked last under the rules, missing the chance to become the first Indian wrestler to win an Olympics gold.
The Olympian has been admitted to a polyclinic in the Olympic Village after she fainted from dehydration, reported India Today, citing sources. She is stable and resting, the outlet reported.
Meanwhile, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi voiced his support for the Olympian, calling her “a champion among champions! You are India’s pride and an inspiration for each and every Indian”.
“Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing. At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you,” he wrote on X.
Her shock disqualification also led to a wave of outrage against the management and support staff travelling with the contingent.
“Vinesh Phogat disqualification on the verge of a gold & a sealed silver is a national sporting tragedy,” said journalist Shekhar Gupta. “Shocking failure also by team, contingent bosses & coach. Wrestlers’ weight management issues when fighting on consecutive days are well known. It’s a management disaster.”
Phogat, who usually competes in the 53kg category, had to switch to the 50kg category to ensure her qualification for the Olympics.
“I will have to manage my weight a lot better. I have brought myself down to 50kg after so long, so I will try and maintain this as much as I can. It’s not easy for me not to put on weight because my muscle mass is very high,” she told the Press Trust of India in April.
Despite being a celebrated athlete, her journey to the Games this year had not been easy. Phogat was a leading figure in street protests last year after allegations of sexual abuse were raised against the Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan.
She took to the streets with fellow Olympians Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, only to be manhandled by police while protesting a stone’s throw away from the Indian parliament.
The protests proved a headache for the government, but won Phogat new legions of fans among ordinary Indians. Many expressed their sadness at Wednesday’s turn of events.
Neeraj Chopra, India’s flagbearer who won gold in the men’s javelin event at the last Olympics, spoke for many when he said: “I feel saddened to see this. There has to be a better way to deal with this.”
“I am fighting for the future generation of wrestlers. Not for myself, my career is done and this is my last Olympics,” Punia, who won bronze at the Tokyo Games, said Phogat told him, ESPN reported on Tuesday.
“I want to fight for the young women wrestlers who will come and fight for them so that they can wrestle safely. That’s why I was in Jantar Mantar and that’s why I am here.”
In November 2023, Phogat told ESPN that she had assured Punia and Malik she would continue fighting. “They both have Olympic medals, I don’t. I have a reason to fight. If I train well, I can win a medal. No one can stop me.”
“I will look him in the eye and bring back a medal and show it to him,” she said, referring to Singh, the wrestling federaion chief.
