Vinesh Phogat, who reached the final against all odds, was reportedly about 2 kilos overweight on Tuesday night.
In a devastating turn of events, wrestler Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the Paris Olympics due to being overweight on the morning of her 50 kg gold medal bout.
Sources revealed that Phogat was approximately 100 grams over the permissible limit, potentially leading to her disqualification. According to competition rules, this would make her ineligible for even a silver medal, leaving only gold and bronze medal winners in the 50 kg category.
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Although Phogat made weight for Tuesday’s bouts, wrestlers must remain within their weight category on both days of the competition.
Phogat, who reached the final against all odds, was reportedly about 2 kilos overweight on Tuesday night. She spent the entire night trying to lose weight, engaging in activities such as jogging, skipping, and cycling.
Unfortunately, these efforts were insufficient. The Indian delegation requested additional time for her to shed the final 100 grams, but their pleas were denied.
This is not the first time Phogat has struggled with the 50 kg weight category, which is lower than her usual 53 kg class. She faced a similar challenge during the Olympic qualifiers, barely making the cut.
On Tuesday, Phogat became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympic final. She achieved this by defeating world number 1 Yui Susaki of Japan and securing two more strategic victories over wrestlers from Ukraine and Cuba.
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She was set to face Sarah Hildebrandt in the final, a wrestler against whom Phogat has a favorable record. However, with her likely disqualification, Hildebrandt will be awarded the gold medal, and Phogat will leave the Olympics empty-handed.