The Indian Olympic team has been left shattered as star female wrestler, Vinesh Phogat, dubbed ‘India’s Lioness’, was disqualified shortly before her anticipated gold medal match for marginally surpassing the 50kg weight limit by a meagre 100 grams. Notably, this occurred even after the athlete made sincere efforts such as chopping off her hair in the hope of securing the gold.
Responding to this low-spirited situation, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, utilised social media to express his profound disappointment over the unusual circumstances surrounding the respected athlete.
Phogat was slated to take on American wrestler Sarah Hildebrandt in the final on Thursday night. Despite adhering to the stipulated weight during Wednesday’s three bouts, competition rules necessitated a follow-up weight-check the following morning where the wrestler fell short by 100 grams, despite overnight endeavours to reduce her weight through running and skipping.
In his message, Modi acknowledged Phogat for being a “true champion” and the “pride of India.” He expressed his affliction about the day’s unfortunate incident but simultaneously affirmed his belief in Phogat’s resilience and her ability to face challenges head on, urging her to bounce back stronger while reassuring her of the nation’s unwavering support.
Also disheartened by the incident, Abhinav Bindra, India’s first Olympics individual gold medalist in 2008, expressed how one does not necessarily need a gold medal to be a peoples’ champion.
Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, India’s chief medical officer, pointed out the general practice among wrestlers to participate in lower weight categories to gain strength advantage against their competitors. This necessitates a deliberate restriction on food and water intake combined with vigorous exercise and sauna sessions up to the weigh-in on the morning of the match.
Vinesh’s nutritionist had envisaged a weight reduction of 1.5 kg. However, after her three bouts, she was allowed minimal water intake to avoid dehydration, leading to a rebound weight gain. Despite this, her coach employed the same weight reduction methods they always used with Vinesh, confident they would achieve the target.
Despite rigorous measures, including the trimming of her hair, Vinesh was found to exceed her 50kg weight category by a mere 100 grams, thus resulting in her disqualification. To avoid dehydration following this incident, she was given IV fluids. Further health checks were conducted at a nearby hospital with blood tests to ensure her wellbeing. During this entire experience, all of Vinesh’s health indicators remained normal and she reported feeling completely fine.
Vinesh’s initial success in the competition earlier in the week, where she caused an upset by defeating top seed Yui Susaki from Japan, had raised high expectations. Vinesh, who was already a renowned figure in her home nation, had made headlines in the past for protesting against sexual misconduct allegations in her sport by living on the streets of New Delhi.
The disqualification came as a shock to PT Usha, the head of the Indian Olympic Association. Usha expressed her disappointment, saying, “I met Vinesh in the Olympic Village and assured her that the entire nation and governing bodies stand with her.” Vinesh has been provided with both emotional and medical support in this difficult moment. The Wrestling Federation of India has appealed against the disqualification decision, with the Indian Olympic Association backing it robustly. Usha added, “We are certain that the entire country will rally behind Vinesh and the entire Indian team.”