Vinesh Phogat faints at Paris Olympics venue due to dehydration, admitted to hospital

Indian wrestler Vinesh 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.

Phogat's disqualification came during the weigh-in on the second day of the competition when she was found to be 150 grams overweight. As she prepared for what would have been her Olympic gold medal bout, she unfortunately missed the opportunity to compete after failing to meet the weight requirement.

Vinesh is currently resting in the polyclinic at the Olympic Village, where her condition is stable. Regrettably, the Indian contingent has no option to appeal the decision.

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.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi 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.

According to UWW regulations, "If an athlete fails to attend or does not pass the weigh-in, they will be disqualified from the competition and ranked last without any standing."

WHAT ARE THE WEIGH-IN RULES IN BOXING?

On each competition day, every boxer is required to undergo a medical examination followed by a weigh-in. Additionally, a post-bout medical examination is conducted for all fighters.

Notably, Vinesh participated in the women's 53kg division before returning to competition in January 2024 after a 15-month hiatus. She also competed in the 53kg category during the Tokyo Olympics.