Vinesh Phogat disqualified: Is Wrestler still in contention for bronze? How medals will be decided explained
Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Vinesh Phogat in the semifinals, will take on Sarah Hilderbrandt in the final. Meanwhile, Japan's Yui Susaki, Phogat's opening round opponent, and Ukraine's Oksana Livach, who was beaten 5-7 by the Indian in the quarter-finals, will now fight for the bronze.
Vinesh Phogat, who was set to compete in the women's 50kg freestyle wrestling final, has been disqualified after being found 100gm overweight. She was suppose to take on USA's Sarah Hildebrandt in the gold medal match on Wednesday.
According to rules of Olympic wrestling, in the event of a disqualification of a finalist, no silver medal is awarded and the gold goes to the other finalist. The bronze medals are decided by two separate bouts that are contested between a losing semifinalists and the wrestler coming through repechage rounds.
However, the officials have said that Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Phogat in the semifinals, will take on Hilderbrandt in the final of the women's 50kg freestyle wrestling at the Paris Olympics 2024.
“Vinesh failed second day weigh-in. According to the arcticle 11 of the International Wrestling Rules, Vinesh will be replaced by the wrestler who lost against her in the Semifinal. Therefore Yusneylis Guzman Lopez (Cuba) will compete in the Final,” said the organisers in an official statement.
The statement further mentioned that, the bout between Japan's Yui Susaki, who lost to Phogat in the opening round, and Ukraine's Oksana Livach, who was beaten 5-7 by the Indian in the quarter-finals, will now be a bronze medal match.
Phogat made history on Tuesday, becoming the first female wrestler from India to reach the final of Olympics. The 29-year-old secured a thrilling last ditch win over number one seed Susaki, before beating Ukraine's Livach to enter the last four stage. Sakshi Malik, who had won bronze at Rio Olympics is the lone female grappler from India with an Olympic medal.