Indian female wrestler disqualified from Olympics after reaching finals

Indian female wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the women’s 50kg wrestling finals at the Paris Olympics 2024 despite qualifying for the finals. During the weigh-in, she was 100 grams over the limit.

The 29-year-old experienced athlete was having an incredible run after facing bullying on the streets of Delhi for months. She defeated Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba and was on track to win gold at the Paris Olympics. She even reassured her supporters with a heartfelt, “I will bring gold” promise during a video call.

However, everything fell apart when she was found ineligible to compete on the final day. Despite her team’s best efforts throughout Tuesday night, Phogat didn’t meet the weight requirement during Wednesday’s weigh-in. The unfortunate event has ended India’s hopes of winning a gold medal in the women’s 50kg category.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) released a statement saying they apologise for the disqualification.

“It is regrettable that the Indian contingent shares news of Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class. Despite the team’s best efforts through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning. No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests that you respect Vinesh’s privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand.”

In January 2024, Several female athletes returned their medals to the Indian government to protest against sexual harassment, but the police charged them and arrested several people. She left two valuable awards on the roadside after she wasn’t allowed to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.