Vinesh Phogat Announces Retirement After Heartbreaking Disqualification from Paris 2024 Olympics
Ace Wrestler Vinesh Phogat Exceeds Weight Limit by 100 Grams, Ending Her Olympic Dream and Career
Heartbroken over her disqualification from the 2024 Paris Olympics, India’s ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement from wrestling. Phogat, who stood on the cusp of a gold medal in the women’s 50kg freestyle wrestling event, exceeded her weight by 100 grams during the morning weigh-in. Despite lodging a protest at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to challenge her disqualification, she expressed her sorrow on social media, stating, “Wrestling won the final bout against me, but I lost, breaking all my courage.” Having made her professional debut in 2001, Phogat’s wrestling career now ends in 2024. She wrote, “Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt.”
The 29-year-old wrestler’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics deeply saddened over a billion fans, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressing his support for Vinesh on social media. Many from the sporting community encouraged her to aim for the 2028 LA Games, but Vinesh feels she has lost her final battle and no longer has the strength to continue.
माँ कुश्ती मेरे से जीत गई मैं हार गई माफ़ करना आपका सपना मेरी हिम्मत सब टूट चुके इससे ज़्यादा ताक़त नहीं रही अब।
— Vinesh Phogat (@Phogat_Vinesh) August 7, 2024
अलविदा कुश्ती 2001-2024 🙏
आप सबकी हमेशा ऋणी रहूँगी माफी 🙏🙏
Phogat was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight during the morning weigh-in, despite her intense efforts to cut down to her competition weight. She has reached out to CAS, asking for a joint-silver medal to be awarded. An ad-hoc division of CAS has been set up for resolving disputes arising during the Olympic Games or the 10 days preceding the Opening Ceremony. The matter will be taken up on Thursday morning.
Phogat was originally set to compete against American Sarah Hildebrandt for the gold medal, but Cuba’s Yusneylys Guzman Lopez replaced her in the final. Hildebrandt won the gold with a 3-0 victory. Vinesh is now hoping for CAS to grant her a joint silver medal with Lopez.
