NEW DELHI: Indian grappler Vinesh Phogat was on Wednesday disqualified from the 50 kg women’s wrestling event at the ongoing Paris Olympics 2024 for exceeding the weight limit, shattering India’s hopes for their fourth medal.
Despite attempts to address the issue, Vinesh was found a few grams over the 50 kg mark, leading to her disqualification before her gold Medal match against the United States’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt.
Vinesh’s uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat was seeming frustrated with her ouster, stressing on the acceptance of slight weight deviations in wrestling.
“I have nothing to say. The entire country has expected Gold…Rules are there but if a wrestler is 50-100 grammes overweight, they are usually allowed to play. I will ask the people of the country not to despair, one day she will bring a medal for sure…I’ll prepare her for the next Olympics,” Mahavir Singh Phogat said while speaking to ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his support to Vinesh following her disqualification.
“Vinesh, you are 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,” the PM said in a post on X.
According to sources, the Prime Minister also contacted Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha to discuss the situation. He sought firsthand information on the issue and options available for India’s response. Additionally, he encouraged PT Usha to file a strong protest regarding Vinesh’s disqualification if it could potentially help her case.
A statement from the Indian Olympic contingent earlier confirmed Vinesh’s disqualification due to exceeding the weight limit.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50 kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50 kg this morning. 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,” the statement read.
The disqualification is particularly disheartening as Vinesh had secured her place in the gold medal bout after defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals.
Despite attempts to address the issue, Vinesh was found a few grams over the 50 kg mark, leading to her disqualification before her gold Medal match against the United States’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt.
Vinesh’s uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat was seeming frustrated with her ouster, stressing on the acceptance of slight weight deviations in wrestling.
“I have nothing to say. The entire country has expected Gold…Rules are there but if a wrestler is 50-100 grammes overweight, they are usually allowed to play. I will ask the people of the country not to despair, one day she will bring a medal for sure…I’ll prepare her for the next Olympics,” Mahavir Singh Phogat said while speaking to ANI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his support to Vinesh following her disqualification.
“Vinesh, you are 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,” the PM said in a post on X.
According to sources, the Prime Minister also contacted Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha to discuss the situation. He sought firsthand information on the issue and options available for India’s response. Additionally, he encouraged PT Usha to file a strong protest regarding Vinesh’s disqualification if it could potentially help her case.
A statement from the Indian Olympic contingent earlier confirmed Vinesh’s disqualification due to exceeding the weight limit.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50 kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50 kg this morning. 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,” the statement read.
The disqualification is particularly disheartening as Vinesh had secured her place in the gold medal bout after defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals.
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