Vinesh Phogat disqualified: Who will win gold in women's 50kg wrestling?

Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat’s aspirations of winning a gold medal at the Olympics were dashed on Wednesday after she was disqualified from the women’s 50kg event.

Vinesh, who had been a strong contender for the gold, was disqualified for being a few grams overweight on the morning of her bout. Although she met the weight requirement on the first day, Olympic rules mandate that wrestlers must also meet the weight limit on the day of their match.

According to the regulations, if a wrestler exceeds the weight limit, they have 25 minutes to reduce it through methods such as cycling, running, or using a sauna. It has been reported that Vinesh spent the entire night without sleep and did not eat anything in her attempt to lose weight.

Vinesh’s disqualification means she will not be able to compete for any medals. USA’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt, who was set to face Vinesh in the final, will now compete against Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez for the gold medal. The wrestlers who lost in the semi-finals will have a chance to compete for one of the two bronze medals, with the other bronze going to the winner of the repechage round.

In wrestling, the repechage round allows athletes who lose to the finalists a chance to compete for a bronze medal.

Following the disqualification, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) issued a statement urging respect for Vinesh’s privacy.

“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the women’s wrestling 50 kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50 kg this morning. No further comments will be made by the contingent at this time. The Indian team requests you respect Vinesh’s privacy. It would like to focus on the competitions on hand,” the IOA said.

Vinesh had made history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the final of a wrestling event at the Olympics. She had earlier defeated defending champion Yui Susaki, who had never lost an international bout and is a four-time world champion. Vinesh then went on to beat eighth seed Oksana Livach of Ukraine to secure a berth in the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, she triumphed over Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, securing her place in the final and making her the first Indian woman wrestler to achieve this feat at the Olympics.