Last Updated on 09/08/2024 by wccexam Desk
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Olympics on Wednesday for being overweight ahead of the final of the women’s 50kg wrestling event at the Paris Olympics 2024. Vinesh created history by becoming the first Indian female wrestler to reach the Olympic final. Till morning she seemed certain to win at least a silver medal, but she was found to be 100 grams overweight. 29-year-old Vinesh was taken to the polyclinic in Khelgaon as she was dehydrated in the morning.
However, Vinesh on Wednesday appealed to CAS against her disqualification from the Olympic final and demanded that she be awarded a joint silver medal. The Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), set up here to resolve any dispute arising during the 10-day period before the Olympic Games or the opening ceremony, is going to hear her appeal.
Earlier Vinesh used to fight in 48 or 53 kg weight category
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Vinesh Phogat’s journey to the Paris Olympics has not been easy. Phogat used to compete in the 48 kg weight category earlier. Vinesh competed in the 48 kg category in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Vinesh was then 22 years old. However, as she grew older, it became difficult for her to maintain that weight category. After this, she moved to the 50 kg category and then came to the 53 kg category at the time of the Tokyo Olympics. In Tokyo, Vinesh reached the quarter-finals of the 53 kg weight category. Then she won the gold medal in the same weight category at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Even in 53kg, she was losing too much weight to compete. Her recovery was poor due to the weight loss and she suffered frequent injuries. However, her career came to a halt when she protested against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The protests and a knee ligament injury sidelined her from wrestling and her future became uncertain. Her injury also coincided with the rise of Indian wrestler Antim Panghal. While Vinesh was away from action, Antim won a bronze medal in the women’s 53kg category to secure the country a quota for the Paris Olympics.
Under the previous rules of WFI, the quota winner got an automatic green signal to represent India at the Olympics. This development put Vinesh Phogat in a precarious position. However, the ad-hoc committee that was temporarily looking after wrestling in India had assured her that there would definitely be trials for the 53kg category. However, with the WFI getting full control and Sanjay Singh becoming the new president, the situation became increasingly uncertain.
On the other hand, Vinesh Phogat also realized that depending on the return of WFI to power cannot guarantee her a place in the 53 kg category in the Olympics. As time passed, she was faced with two tough options – either go to the 50 kg category, where she last participated in 2018. Or participate in the 57 kg category.
When drama happened during the selection trials
There was a lot of drama during the selection trials held in Patiala in March 2024. The strangest sight was that the trials for the 50 kg category did not start in the morning, as Vinesh insisted on a written guarantee that she be allowed to participate in the 53 kg category trials before the Olympics. Apart from this, the draw list in both the weight categories was also not shared.
The ad hoc committee of Bhupinder Singh Bajwa, MM Somaya and Manjusha Panwar tried to convince her by delaying the trials in the 50 kg category. However, she did not agree. During that trial, Vinesh had also participated in the 53 kg weight category apart from 50. Interestingly, the ad hoc panel had clearly mentioned in its circular that the trials would be conducted as per the rules of United World Wrestling (UWW). They ignored the rules by allowing Vinesh to participate in two weight categories.
She lost to Anshu in the semi-finals of the 53 kg weight category. But due to her victory in the 50 kg weight category, Vinesh got an entry for the Asian Olympic Qualifier. She defeated Shivani in the final of the 50 kg weight category. Then Vinesh defeated Kazakhstan’s Laura Ganikyazi 10-0 in the semi-finals of the Asian Olympic Qualifier held in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, and secured an Olympic quota for the country.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)