Indian star wrestler Vinesh Phogat faced disqualification from the Paris Olympics on Wednesday after being found overweight ahead of her women’s 50kg freestyle final, resulting in her returning home without a medal despite being close to an unprecedented gold.
Vinesh made history as the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category on Tuesday night. Initially assured of at least a silver medal, her hopes were dashed by the disqualification.
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The 29-year-old was taken to the polyclinic inside the Games village earlier in the day due to severe dehydration. “She was found overweight by 100 grams this morning. The rules do not allow this and she has been disqualified,” an Indian coach explained.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) requested privacy for Vinesh, who was competing in her third Olympics. “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,” the IOA stated.
The IOA added, “No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests you to respect Vinesh’s privacy and would like to focus on the competitions at hand.”
International rules stipulate that any wrestler found overweight at the time of weigh-in is placed at the bottom of the final standings. Vinesh had delivered a remarkable performance on Tuesday, defeating defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan and advancing to face American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the final. Following her disqualification, Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Vinesh in the semifinals, replaced her in the final.
“Vinesh failed the second day weigh-in. According to Article 11 of the International Wrestling Rules, she will be replaced by the wrestler who lost against her in the semifinal. Therefore, Yusneylis Guzman Lopez will compete in the final,” the Paris Games organizing committee said in a statement.
The committee also announced, “Repechage Yui Susaki vs Oksana Livach (Ukraine) will become the Bronze Medal Match.” This adjustment means the 50kg category will offer only one bronze medal in these Games instead of the usual four, typically decided after bouts between the losing semifinalists and the two repechage round winners.
Vinesh’s disqualification was not an isolated incident; Italy’s Emanuela Liuzzi was also forced to forfeit her preliminary bout on Tuesday after being found overweight.
United World Wrestling (UWW) rules state that wrestlers can weigh in multiple times during the weigh-in period. However, if an athlete fails the weigh-in, they are eliminated from the competition and ranked last.
The Indian wrestling contingent was understandably distraught. Vinesh had previously stated that this would be her final Olympics, and it remains to be seen if this setback will change her mind.
“Everyone here is feeling as if someone in the family has died. We don’t know what has struck us. Everyone is shocked,” said India’s national women’s coach Virender Dahiya.
Cutting weight is a challenging process for wrestlers with natural body weights higher than their competition divisions. Vinesh’s natural body weight is around 56-57kg, and reducing it to 50kg requires immense effort. While UWW allows a grace of up to 2kg in invitational tournaments, no such relaxation exists for major events like the Olympics, world championships, and Asian Championships.
Athletes often go without food and water two days before the weigh-in. Boxer Nikhat Zareen mentioned after her defeat in Paris that she refrained from eating or drinking for two days to stay within the weight limit, which affected her strength.
Key Points:
Vinesh Phogat Disqualified: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being overweight ahead of her women’s 50kg freestyle final.
Historic Achievement: Vinesh was the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category, initially assured of at least a silver medal.
Dehydration and Overweight Issue: Vinesh was taken to the polyclinic for severe dehydration and found to be overweight by 100 grams during the weigh-in.
Indian Olympic Association’s Statement: The IOA announced her disqualification and requested privacy for Vinesh, emphasizing no further comments would be made.
International Wrestling Rules: According to the rules, any wrestler found overweight during the weigh-in is placed at the bottom of the final standings.
Replacement in Final: Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez replaced Vinesh in the final after losing to her in the semifinals.
Bronze Medal Match Adjustment: The repechage bout between Yui Susaki and Oksana Livach was designated as the Bronze Medal Match, with only one bronze medal offered in the 50kg category.
Another Weight-Related Disqualification: Italy’s Emanuela Liuzzi was also disqualified for being overweight in the 50kg category.
UWW Weigh-In Rules: Wrestlers can weigh in multiple times during the period, but failing the weigh-in results in elimination and last-place ranking.
Emotional Impact on Indian Team: The Indian wrestling team was deeply affected by the disqualification, with national women’s coach Virender Dahiya expressing shock and distress.
Weight Cutting Challenges: Vinesh’s natural body weight is around 56-57kg, making it a significant challenge to cut down to 50kg, a common issue for wrestlers.
