In a heart-breaking turn of events for India at the Olympics, Vinesh Phogat was eliminated from the 50kg freestyle wrestling competition on Wednesday. Despite having qualified for the gold medal battle, she was disqualified, due to being slightly overweight.   

Phogat had earlier defeated Japan’s Yui Susaki, World No.1 and Tokyo 2020 champion.  

“It is with great regret that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announces Vinesh Phogat’s elimination from the 50kg women’s division. She was just a few grams over the 50 kilogram limit this morning, despite the team’s best efforts overnight. No additional comments will be provided by the IOA at this time,” the IOA stated prior to tonight’s gold medal match of Phogat.  

“The IOA requests that Vinesh’s privacy be respected, and that attention remains on the ongoing competitions.” The statement concluded.  

Mahavir Phogat expressed intense sorrow, felt by the nation, in a very emotive manner. “It’s very unfortunate that Vinesh couldn’t bring home a medal. She was just 100 grams overweight. This time, a medal won’t be there. There’s no solution for this. We’ll try again in 2028.” 

How does the weigh-in works for wrestling? 

Weigh-ins for wrestler competing is the first thing to occur in the morning. Wrestlers who proceed to the finals or rematch must meet the weight limit on both days of the two-day weight class competition.  

During the initial weigh-in, wrestlers have thirty minutes and free to step on the scale as many times as needed. They are weighed while wearing singlets. Additionally, athletes also need to have their fingernails clipped short and are checked if there are any signs of contagious diseases. The second day’s competitors only have fifteen minutes to weigh-in.  

Now, Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Vinesh in semi-final will replace her in the Olympic final. PM Narendra Modi reportedly asked IOA President PT Usha to file a strong protest regarding Vinesh Phogat’s elimination.