Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Women's 50 kg final match at the Paris Olympics after she was measured to be overweight by just 150 grams.
Phogat had to compete inside her category on both days of the competition, even though she had initially met the weight requirement for Tuesday's fights, as per the Indian Express. On Tuesday night, she was supposedly two kg overweight. She made great efforts—jogging, skipping, and cycling through the night—but she failed to shed the last 150 grams.
Despite the extensive efforts of Vinesh, her coaches, and support staff—including drastic measures like cutting her hair and attempting to draw blood—they were unable to achieve the desired outcome.
In a statement released by the Indian Olympic Association, officials expressed their regret, stating, "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 you to respect Vinesh’s privacy as they focus on the ongoing competitions."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reached out to IOA President P.T. Usha to gather firsthand information about the situation and to explore any possible options for India following Vinesh's unfortunate setback.
He even asked her to explore all the possible options to help Vinesh with her case. He also urged PT Usha to file a strong protest regarding her disqualification if that helps Vinesh, according to the sources.
Meanwhile, Phogat was hospitalised on Wednesday after fainting moments following her disqualification from the women's 50kg final at the Paris Olympics. Sources indicate that the 29-year-old athlete collapsed due to dehydration.