Vinesh Phogat’s Paris 2024 Disqualification Explained

Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024 has been a subject of intense scrutiny and speculation. The renowned Indian wrestler was poised to win gold but ended up without a medal due to a critical weigh-in issue.

On Tuesday, Vinesh Phogat secured a spot in the women’s 50kg wrestling final by defeating Yusneylys Guzman of Cuba in the semi-final. Her gold medal match was set against Sarah Hildebrandt from the United States. However, the dream of an Olympic gold was abruptly halted when Vinesh was found to be 100 grams over the permissible weight limit during the weigh-in.

According to Article 11 of the United World Wrestling (UWW) regulations, an athlete who fails the weigh-in or does not attend it is disqualified and ranked last, unless medical intervention is involved. The rules are specific: if an athlete is injured and unable to continue, they lose the match but do not have to attend the second weigh-in. They are ranked based on their performance up to the point of injury, provided they have medical approval to compete in future matches.

The relevant section of the Medical Service Intervention states, “For all injuries or diseases that occur after the first day of competition and outside competition, the athlete must attend the second weigh-in, or they will be eliminated and ranked last.” Given that Vinesh was not injured during her bouts on Day 1, she could not have claimed an injury to avoid the weigh-in and retain her silver medal. The UWW had amended its rules in 2017 to enforce weigh-ins on both competition days, thus eliminating the possibility of bypassing the weigh-in through injury claims.

In the aftermath of Vinesh’s disqualification, Cuba’s Guzman was named as the second finalist, while Vinesh’s absence left India with only one female wrestler, Sakshi Malik, who won bronze in Rio 2016.

Athletics Federation of India President Adille Summarivala has firmly dismissed any conspiracy theories surrounding Vinesh’s disqualification. He emphasized that “India would never fake an injury,” and any speculation suggesting otherwise is unfounded. Summarivala stressed that Vinesh was not injured and that such claims are baseless.

The disqualification was a blow to India’s hopes for gold at the Paris Olympics, but it also underscored the importance of adhering to competition rules. As the wrestling community reflects on this incident, it is clear that the regulations are designed to ensure fairness and integrity in the sport.

For detailed updates on the Paris Olympics, including the full schedule and medal tally, stay tuned.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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