Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified just hours before the women’s 50kg freestyle final at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday due to a failure to make weight, according to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
Phogat was scheduled to compete against Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States for the gold medal. Her disqualification means she will not win a medal in this event.
The IOA issued a statement expressing regret over Phogat’s disqualification: “Despite the team’s best efforts through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning.”
The news has led to widespread sympathy for Phogat. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to praise her, calling her a “champion among champions.” Modi said, “You are India’s pride and an inspiration for each and every Indian. 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 epitomize resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head-on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you.”
Abhinav Bindra, who won India’s first individual Olympic gold medal in 2008, expressed his disappointment, saying he was “completely gutted.” He added, “Sometimes you don’t need a gold medal to be a true champion to people.”
Phogat was among several Indian wrestlers who protested last year, calling for criminal action against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, then president of the Wrestling Federation of India and a member of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. Singh has denied any wrongdoing in response to the complaints made by female wrestlers.
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