Top wrestler is quitting immediately
The Gold Dream of Indian wrestler Vinesh Vinesh bursts dramatically at the Olympics. The 29-year-old is too heavy at the weigh-in on the morning of the second competition day and is disqualified. She then draws the ultimate consequence.
The dramatic Olympic exit is followed by a lightning resignation: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has declared her career over after missing out on a final spot in Paris. "Mother Wrestling has won against me, I have lost. Your dreams and my courage are broken," Phogat wrote on X: "I have no strength left. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be grateful to you all. Sorry."
The dream of a medal had previously painfully burst on the scales for Phogat. The gold contender, who was due to compete in the 50kg weight class final against American Sarah Ann Hildebrandt on Wednesday evening, was slightly overweight despite all efforts and was not allowed to compete.
"All possible drastic measures, including cutting her hair, were taken," said Dinshaw Pardiwala, chief medical officer of India's Olympic team, in a brief statement from the National Olympic Committee. Ultimately, the athlete was "100 grams" overweight, despite the "weight loss process" of "targeted food and water restriction and sweating through exercise and sauna" being carried out as usual.
Dangerously lost too much fluid
She apparently lost dangerously too much fluid, as indicated by the statement from the Indian NOC. "As a precaution, Vinesh was given intravenous fluid after being disqualified to prevent dehydration," explained team doctor Pardiwala: "We are also having blood tests done at the local hospital to ensure everything is okay."
The affair around Phogat, 29 years old and twice world bronze medalist, caused a stir. Even Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi weighed in on X and supported the shocked top athlete. "Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! You are India's pride and an inspiration to every single Indian. (...) Come back stronger!" She has made a different decision. Indian NOC president Pilavullakandi Thekkeparambil Usha expressed shock in a statement and said that a complaint had been lodged with the world governing body United World Wrestling.
Despite the disqualification at the Olympic Games, Vinesh Phogat's determination to compete in wrestling remained unwavering, as she expressed in a heartfelt message, "I will always be grateful to Wrestling 2001-2024." Moreover, her gold dream at the Olympic Games was once again thwarted in Paris, due to weight issues, as she missed out on the 50kg weight class final.
