PARIS OLYMPICS: INDIA’S VINESH PHOGAT DISQUALIFIED FROM 50KG WRESTLING FINAL OVER WEIGHT ISSUES

By Ajape Sefiu A.

In a heartbreaking turn of events, Indian wrestler, Vinesh Phogat, who was set to compete for a gold medal, was disqualified from the 50-kilogram Olympic wrestling final on Wednesday for being a few grams overweight.

The disqualification created a ripple effect on the medal matches, resulting in some forced adjustments by the organizers.

After pulling a massive upset in the tournament, Phogat had been guaranteed at least silver but will now leave without a medal.

The blow for Indian sport will be enormous; they have won just two golds across all sports since Moscow in 1980.

Phogat defeated Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semifinals Tuesday, but her disqualification pushed Guzman Lopez into the gold medal match Wednesday night.

The Indian wrestler had gotten off to a great start at the Paris Games, stunning four-time world and defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan in her first match on Tuesday.

She eventually won her first three matches to earn a spot in the 50-kilogram final.

Confirming the development on Wednesday, Team India wrote on social media, “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,” the announcement said.

Phogat had been seemingly unbeatable on the mat. After beating top-seeded Susaki, who captured gold at the Tokyo Olympics without conceding a point, she then won her quarterfinal match against Ukraine’s Oksana Livach 7-5 and her semifinal against Guzman Lopez 5-0 to become the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final.

Who will fight in the women’s 50 kg wrestling gold medal match?

Phogat’s disqualification eliminates her from competition and moves Guzman Lopez into the final against American Sarah Hildebrandt, who defeated Mongolia’s Otgonjargal Dolgorjav 5-0 in the other semifinal.

What happens in the bronze medal match?

There are two bronze medals awarded in each wrestling weight class.

Phogat’s disqualification created a domino effect. Susaki, who lost to Phogat, had earned a spot in the repechage against Livach, with one needing to earn a spot in a bronze medal match.

The Phogat-Livach match has been elevated to one of the two bronze medal matches.

The other bronze match will match China’s Feng Ziqi and Dolgorjav — a pairing that was not impacted by Phogat’s disqualification.

However, it is unclear if Phogat has ever been disqualified for not making weight. She had never placed higher than ninth at the Olympics or third at a world championship event before this impressive performance at the Paris Games.