Vinesh Phogat speaks out on olympic disqualification, shares emotional Instagram post
PTC News Desk: Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has broken her silence following the Court of Arbitration for Sports’ (CAS) decision to reject her appeal for a joint-silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 29-year-old was disqualified from the competition after being found 100 grams over the weight limit before her women’s 50kg gold-medal bout against the USA’s Sarah Hildebrandt.
In response to the disqualification, Vinesh shared an emotional photo on Instagram, lying on the mat with her hands on her forehead, symbolizing her heartbreak.
Earlier in the tournament, Vinesh had made history by defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semi-final, becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final of an Olympic wrestling event. She was on the verge of becoming only the second Indian female wrestler to win an Olympic medal, following Sakshi Malik. However, her disqualification led to Guzman Lopez replacing her in the final, where Hildebrandt ultimately claimed the gold medal. As per United World Wrestling (UWW) rules, Vinesh was placed last.
Vinesh’s journey to the final was marked by a significant victory over Japan’s Yui Susaki, who entered the match with an 82-0 unbeaten record. This win was hailed as one of the greatest upsets in Olympic wrestling history, fueling hopes that Vinesh would finally achieve her long-awaited Olympic medal. However, her dream was abruptly shattered by the disqualification.
Despite her team’s appeals to CAS, the ruling stood, bringing back memories of Vinesh’s campaign at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she was forced to withdraw due to a knee injury after being considered a top contender. Once again, just when it seemed like she was destined for the podium, fate had other plans.