Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat who was set to compete in the gold medal match of the Women's wrestling 50kg category at the Paris 2024 Olympics, has now been disqualified.
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Phogat, who had secured atleast a silver medal, potentially the first silver for India at the ongoing games, will now return back home with no medal to her name.
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Why has Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat been disqualified from the Paris 2024 Olympics?
Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the Olympics 2024 as she failed to meet the weight requirements on the morning of her wrestling 50kg freestyle gold medal match.
According to statement from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), the reason for Phogat's disqualification was that she weighed a few grams more than what was required to compete at the 50kg freestyle event.
"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. 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 IOA statement said.
The news is set to be a heartbreak for the wrestler and the country as she made entered the tournament and reached the finals of the event against all odds.
Phogat beat world number 1 and the gold medalist of the Tokyo 2020 games, Yui Sasaki of Japan to start her tournament, followed by a 5-0 semi-final victory against Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semifinals.
She was set to compete in the Final of the Women's Freestyle 50kg gold medal match against USA's Ann Sarah Hildebrandt, which had guaranteed her atleast a silver medal.
MORE: MORE: Complete list of results for India on August 7 at Paris 2024 Olympics
Vinesh Phogat disqualification: What is the procedure of weigh-in for wrestling at Olympics?
The weigh-ins of the wrestlers are usually taken in the morning of the day of the event. All participating wrestlers are weighed on a scale.
During the first weigh-in, wrestlers will have 30 minutes to make the required weight. They have the right to get on the scale as many times as they wish. Contestants are weighed with and only in their singlets (type of a dress).
Athletes will also be examined for signs of any contagious disease and are made sure that their fingernails are cut very short.
For any wrestlers competing on the second day, in the case of a repechage, the weigh-in will last 15 minutes.
According to reports, Phogat along with her coaches and support staff tried their best to cut the weight ahead of the weigh-in, by the usual procedure of spending the previous night without food and water.
However, when it did not work, they attempted to had to resort to extreme measures, which included cutting her hair and draw out blood. In the end, the efforts went to waste as her weight was still deemed to be in excess (over 50kg by a few grams) at the weigh-in.
MORE: India at Paris 2024 Olympics: Medal winners and standings