Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat disqualified from 50kg wrestling final Paris Olympic Games after failing to make weight on Wednesday, creating a ripple effect into the medal matches and leading to forced adjustments by organizers.
Phogat beat Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semifinals on Tuesday, but her disqualification pushed Guzman Lopez into the gold medal match on Wednesday night.
Phogat had made a strong start to the Paris Games, crushing four-time world champion and reigning Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan in her first match on Tuesday. She eventually won her first three bouts to earn a spot in the 50-kilogram final.
But that’s not going to happen. The Indian team announced on social media on Wednesday that Phogat was out of the game.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares the news of disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the women’s 50kg wrestling category. Despite the team’s best efforts during the night, she weighed a few grams over 50kg this morning,” the statement said.
Kim Kyung-Hoon / REUTERS
Phogat looked unbeatable on the mat. After beating top seed Susaki, who had won gold at the Tokyo Olympics without conceding a single point, she went on to win her quarter-final against Ukraine’s Oksana Livach 7-5 and her semi-final against Guzman Lopez 5-0, becoming the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media on Wednesday to express his support for Phogat, calling her a “champion among champions.”
“You are the pride of India and an inspiration to every Indian,” Modi wrote. “Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair I feel. At the same time, I know that you embody resilience. It has always been in your nature to rise to challenges. Come back stronger! We all support you.”
Who will fight in the gold medal match?
Phogat’s disqualification eliminated her from the competition and propelled Guzman Lopez into the final against American Sarah Hildebrandt, who beat Mongolia’s Otgonjargal Dolgorjav 5-0 in the other semifinal. Hildebrandt, 30, is a two-time Olympian who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Games, according to her U.S. team bio.
What happens in the bronze medal match?
Two bronze medals are awarded in each wrestling weight class. Phogat’s disqualification created a domino effect. Susaki, who lost to Phogat, had earned a spot in the repechage against Livach, so a spot in a bronze medal match was needed. The Phogat-Livach match was elevated to one of two bronze medal matches. The other bronze medal match will be between China’s Feng Ziqi and Dolgorjav – a pairing that was unaffected by Phogat’s disqualification.
Has Phogat ever failed to make weight?
It is unclear whether Phogat has ever been disqualified for not making the required weight. She had never placed higher than ninth at the Olympics or third at the world championships before her impressive performance at the Paris Games.
Why is Phogat so famous in India?
In 2023, Phogat and other female wrestlers were arrested by police in the Indian capital, New Delhi, after They marched on the parliament following allegations of sexual misconduct by individuals within the sport, including Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the president of the Wrestling Federation of India. Sanjay Kumar Singh later replaced him in that role.
