Vinesh Phogat Disqualified from Paris Olympics 50kg Final, Misses Medal Opportunity

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50kg freestyle wrestling final at the 2024 Paris Olympics due to being overweight, missing out on a historic medal. Despite rigorous efforts to meet weight requirements, she was found 150 grams over the limit.

Vinesh Phogat, who made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach an Olympic final, was disqualified from the women's 50kg freestyle wrestling event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The disqualification occurred just hours before her highly anticipated gold medal match against American Sarah Hildebrand, after Phogat was found to be overweight.

Phogat's journey to the final included a remarkable victory over Japan’s Yui Susaki, the defending champion and world number one. However, the 29-year-old wrestler from Haryana faced an unexpected setback when she couldn't meet the weight requirements. Despite being within the 50kg limit during the preliminary rounds, her weight increased post-competition. Efforts to reduce her weight through various methods, including exercise and even cutting her hair, proved futile. On the morning of the final, she was still found to be 150 grams over the permissible limit, leading to her disqualification as per the United World Wrestling’s rules.

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The disqualification means Phogat loses her chance to claim her first Olympic medal. The women's 50kg freestyle wrestling event will now award only a gold medal to Hildebrand, with two bronze medals to be decided in the repechage rounds.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) expressed their regret over the incident and requested privacy for Phogat as the team continues to focus on ongoing competitions.