Vinesh Phogat hospitalised due to dehydration after shocking Paris Olympics disqualification, condition stable
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Aug 7, 2024, 2:00 PM ISTIndian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was hospitalised shortly after being disqualified from the women's 50kg final at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday.
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was hospitalised shortly after being disqualified from the women's 50kg final at the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday. She reportedly fainted due to dehydration caused by intense cycling and jogging. Phogat was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight during the weigh-in, leaving her medal less within hours of coming close to an unprecedented gold.
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Vinesh Phogat is currently stable and resting in the polyclinic of the Olympics Village. Unfortunately, there is no option for the Indian contingent to appeal the disqualification decision. Despite the best efforts of the grappler, her coaches, and support staff, which included extreme measures such as cutting her hair and attempting to draw out blood, they were unable to meet the required weight.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted IOA President PT Usha to obtain firsthand information on the situation and to explore any options available to India following Vinesh's setback.
"Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! You are India's pride and an inspiration for each and every Indian. Today's setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing," he posted on X.
"At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you," he added.
Vinesh Phogat is the first athlete to be disqualified from a final for not making weight. According to UWW rules, "If an athlete does not attend or fails the weigh-in, he/she will be eliminated from the competition and ranked last without rank."
On Tuesday, she made history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the Olympic final after defeating Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman 5-0, thereby securing a medal for India. The 29-year-old also delivered a remarkable performance, defeating defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan. She was set to face American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the summit bout this evening.
"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. No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests respect for Vinesh's privacy and would like to focus on the ongoing competitions," the Indian Olympic Association said in a statement.
Both Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik have been prominent figures in the wrestlers' protest against alleged sexual harassment by the former leadership of the Wrestling Federation of India. Vinesh, who usually competes in the 53kg category, had to switch to the 50kg category to secure her qualification for the Olympics.
"I will have to manage my weight a lot better. I have brought myself down to 50kg after so long, so I will try and maintain this as much as I can. It's not easy for me not to put on weight because my muscle mass is very high," Vinesh told PTI in April after securing the 50kg quota for India.
Vinesh was not the only wrestler disqualified for weight-related issues in the 50kg category. On Tuesday, Italy's Emanuela Liuzzi also had to forfeit her preliminary bout after being found overweight.
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