Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat faced a significant setback during the Paris Olympics 2024 when she was disqualified from competition due to being overweight, just as she was set to compete for the gold medal in the Women's wrestling finals against Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States.
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Vinesh Phogat was born on August 25, 1994, in Balali, Haryana, India, into a renowned wrestling family that includes her well-known sisters Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari.
She began her international wrestling career between 2010 and 2014, garnering medals across various junior and senior competitions.
Her breakthrough came at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, where she clinched gold in the 48 kg category.
Continuing her success, Vinesh secured another significant victory at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta-Palembang, Indonesia, winning gold in the 50 kg category.
Moreover, she represented India at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, advancing to the quarter-finals in the 53 kg category.
In January 2023, Vinesh Phogat joined around 30 Indian wrestlers, including notable champions like Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, in a protest against Brij Bhushan Singh, the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Singh was accused of sexually harassing female athletes over an extended period. The protest took place at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, highlighting their demand for accountability and justice within the sports administration.
Later in May 2023, Vinesh Phogat and several others were detained by the police during a march towards the new Parliament building on its inauguration day. Their demonstration aimed to raise awareness about various issues within Indian sports governance and to advocate for reforms.
Following the tumultuous period of protests and amidst the physical and mental challenges she faced, Vinesh Phogat encountered another setback in August 2023.
During training for her upcoming match at the Asian Games, she suffered a knee injury. This injury posed a significant hurdle in her athletic journey, requiring her to undergo rehabilitation and recuperation before resuming competitive wrestling.
However, her journey faced a setback at the Paris Olympics in 2024 when she was disqualified for exceeding weight limits, thereby missing the opportunity to compete for a gold medal in the Women’s wrestling finals against Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President PT Usha expressed her shock and disappointment over Phogat's disqualification.
"After hearing the news that Vinesh Phogat is disqualified, I am shocked and disappointed. I had come here to meet Vinesh; she is physically and medically okay. Mentally, she is disappointed. Our support staff is with her, trying their best to help her reduce weight," PT Usha said.
India has won three bronze medals at the Paris Olympics so far, all in shooting. The country narrowly missed additional medals, finishing fourth in events including the 10m air rifle, 25m pistol, skeet team, badminton singles, and mixed archery team events.
(With inputs from agencies)
