World Champion Vinesh Phogat announces Retirement after Tragic Disqualification at Paris Olympics

By: WE Staff | Thursday, 8 August 2024

Vinesh Phogat, a celebrated Indian wrestler, announced her retirement after being disqualified from the Paris 2024 Olympics for being 100 grams overweight just before her gold medal bout in the 50 kg category. Despite her numerous achievements, including multiple World Championships and Commonwealth Games medals, her retirement is a significant sorrowful moment in Indian sports.

After her significant win at the semifinals defeating the world champion, the 29-year-old wrestler was making all efforts to cut down her weight. She was penalized just before her gold medal match for India. Devastated Vinesh announced her retirement decision on X citing a heartfelt note to her mother Premlata, "Ma, wrestling has won, and I have lost." Please forgive me, your hopes, and my courage; everything is broken. "I have no more strength left. 2001-2024: goodbye to wrestling. I will be grateful to you all. "Forgive me," mentioned the two-time world championship bronze medallist.

Vinesh appealed her dismissal from the Olympic finals and requested a joint silver medal from the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). She spent the day at the polyclinic in the Games village due to extreme dehydration from her frantic attempts to make the cut.

Additionally, Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez replaced Vinesh in the finals against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt where the American wrestler clinched the gold medal.

The IOA President PT Usha initiated a meeting with the United World Wrestling (UWW) after India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged. However, the UWW has stated that the current weigh-in regulation cannot be amended at this time. The UWW President agreed with the IOA's advice, but it cannot be done retrospectively.