New Delhi: India’s gold medal promise, Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the Paris Olympics after she could not make the weight in the morning for her 50 kg final bout.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg 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,” an Indian Olympic Association Statement read.
Reports said that she was over the permissible weight limit by 100 grams.
According to competition rules, the 50 kg category will now have just gold and bronze medal winners.
Vinesh had become the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic wrestling final after she outplayed Cuba’s Lopez Guzman 5-0 in the semifinal bout on Tuesday night. She had also knocked out reigning champion Yui Susaki of Japan in one of the biggest upsets of the Paris Olympics wrestling competition. Vinesh edged out top-seeded Susaki 3-2 in the round of 16.