Vinesh Phogat, India’s top wrestler, made history by becoming the first woman to qualify for the wrestling finals at the Olympics. She was aiming to win India’s first-ever gold medal in wrestling. However, her dreams were shattered when she was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight.

Wrestling has strict weight categories. Vinesh, who usually competes in the 53 kg category, had reduced her weight to 50 kg to compete in the 50 kg category for the Paris Olympics. On 6th August 2024, she played three matches and stayed within the weight limit. After her semifinal victory, she found herself 2 kg overweight, giving her only 12 hours to shed the extra weight

Despite her efforts, which included sauna, steam, skipping, jogging, cycling, and even cutting her hair, Vinesh was still 100 grams over the limit by the time of the final weigh-in on 7th August 2024. Her disqualification marked a sad moment for India, and she later announced her retirement from wrestling, expressing her heartbreak in a post on social media.

Vinesh’s disqualification has sparked reactions from across India, with Prime Minister Modi and President Droupadi Murmu offering their support. Vinesh has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking justice and possibly a silver medal for the event.

This incident has led to speculations about whether Vinesh’s disqualification was a result of her protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Congress MP Balwant Wankhede claimed that her disqualification might have been a deliberate act of revenge. Fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia supported this theory, while badminton player Saina Nehwal suggested that the mistake might have been due to Vinesh’s own negligence.

Do you think Vinesh’s disqualification was intentional? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Tags

• vinesh phogat
• olympics 2024
• disqualification

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