What Happened With Vinesh Phogat? Olympics Controversy Explained

What Happened With Vinesh Phogat? Olympics Controversy Explained

As a seasoned gamer who has spent countless hours playing virtual sports games, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of empathy for Vinesh Phogat. Her story is one that resonates with me, as we both share a passion for competition and the relentless pursuit of victory.


Vinesh Phogat is a three-time Olympic wrestler from India who competed in the 2024 Paris Games. This year, she reached the women’s freestyle 50kg wrestling final, but unfortunately, she was disqualified following the morning weigh-in on the day of the event. We’ll delve into the circumstances surrounding Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification to understand why this unfortunate incident occurred.

Why was Vinesh Phogat disqualified from the Olympics?

Vinesh Phogat was barred from competing in her final wrestling match due to being slightly heavier than the allowed 50 kg weight limit.

2024 found me, Phogat, on the brink of history at the Paris Olympics, making it to the finals of Women’s Freestyle 50kg wrestling. The chance to bring home India’s first-ever wrestling gold was within my grasp. Unfortunately, during the weigh-in before the final, I tipped the scales at roughly 150 grams overweight. This oversight led to my disqualification, a devastating blow not just for me, but for all of India who had pinned their hopes on seeing a golden victory in wrestling.

Following the weigh-in procedure, it was announced that the Indian Olympic Association had disqualified Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class. In a statement, they expressed their regret to share that Vinesh weighed slightly over 50kg this morning, despite the team’s best attempts throughout the night to correct the issue. (Originally: After the weigh-in, the Indian Olympic Association confirmed her disqualification on X (formerly Twitter). The statement read, “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.”)

As a passionate fan, I’m saddened to share that Vinesh Phogat, our esteemed wrestler from India, has been disqualified from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class due to weighing slightly over the limit this morning. Despite our team’s best efforts throughout the night, it wasn’t enough to help her make weight. At this point, I choose not to add any more comments…

— Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) August 7, 2024

Following her victory over Yusneylis Guzman Lopez from Cuba in the semifinals, Vinesh Phogat was set to battle Sarah Hildebrandt from the USA in the final on August 7th. Unfortunately, a disqualification means she won’t receive any medal. Instead, Yusneylis Guzman Lopez will fight against Sarah Hildebrandt in the 50kg final. The Indian Olympic Association has made no additional comments at this time and asks for respecting Vinesh’s privacy as they concentrate on the upcoming competitions.

“Last night, I pulled an all-nighter like never before, determined to hit my weight goal of 50kg for the game. No rest, no water, no food – just endless running and sauna sessions. I managed to get down to 50.1kg, but unfortunately, I ran out of time to shed those last grueling 100 grams. There was simply no room for error or extra time to make weight.”

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2024-08-07 16:41