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Prime Minister takes action as appeal launched in Vinesh Phogat disqualification storm at Olympics

Distressing photos have emerged on social media showing the wrestler looking exhausted and devastated.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·3-min read

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly intervened in the disqualification storm around wrestler Vinesh Phogat at the Paris Olympics and insisted the country's Olympic Association president appeal the decision. There was absolute heartbreak for Phogat on Wednesday when she was sensationally disqualified before her gold medal bout because she was just 100 grams over the 50kg weight limit.

Phogat had defeated Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semi-finals on Tuesday to advance to the final and gold medal match. But Team India announced on Wednesday that officials had disqualified Phogat because she failed to make weight.

Vinesh Phogat at the Paris Olympics.
Vinesh Phogat was taken to hospital after being disqualified for failing to make weight for the 50kg wrestling final at the Olympics. Image: Getty/Ians Photo/Twitter

“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class," the statement said. "Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning."

According to reports, Phogat had spent the entire night exercising and trying to shed enough weight to come in below the 50kg limit, but came in just 100 grams over. Photos later emerged on social media showing the wrestler looking exhausted and disconsolate after failing to drop the weight, and she was later taken to hospital to get some fluids back into her.

The Indian Olympic Association has since launched an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but only after the intervention of PM Modi. According to local media, Modi phoned Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha to insist the organisation lodge a protest.

The IOA is asking for Phogat to be awarded a silver medal after officials stripped her of all the wins she'd recorded on her way to the final in Paris. The Indian star had stunned four-time world and defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan in her first match, and won all three of her matches to make the final.

Vinesh Vinesh.
Vinesh Vinesh in action at the Paris Olympics. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

But officials deemed all three victories to be invalid when she came in above weight. Modi also took to social media to praise Phogat.

“Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! You are India’s pride and an inspiration for each and every Indian,” he wrote. “Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing. At the same time, I know that you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you.”

Vinesh Vinesh, pictured here after beating Yusneylis Guzman Lopez at the Olympics.
Vinesh Vinesh celebrates after beating Yusneylis Guzman Lopez. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

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After beating the top-seeded Susaki - who won the gold in Tokyo three years ago without conceding a single point - Phogat then won her quarter-final match against Ukraine’s Oksana Livach 7-5 and her semi-final against Guzman Lopez 5-0. It made her the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final, but her dream of winning gold was shattered not long after.

American wrestler Sarah Hildebrandt later won the gold in Paris after beating Guzman Lopez - who had been elevated to the final after Phogat's disqualification. Hildebrandt had earlier defeated Mongolia’s Otgonjargal Dolgorjav 5-0 in the other semi-final.

with agencies