Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat, deeply heartbroken, announced her retirement from the sport on Thursday, a day after being disqualified from the women’s 50kg competition at the Paris Olympics for exceeding the weight limit for the final.
Phogat, 29, a world bronze medallist and three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist, had been scheduled to compete for the gold medal against Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States. However, she was found to be 100 grams over the 50kg limit.
On social media, Phogat expressed her dismay: “Mother wrestling won against me, I lost. Your dreams and my courage are shattered. I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be indebted to you all. Sorry.”
Hildebrandt went on to win the gold medal, defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who was reinstated after losing to Phogat in the semi-final.
Indian media reported that Phogat has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against her disqualification, requesting a joint silver medal. CAS is expected to announce its decision later on Thursday in Paris.
In the days leading up to the final, videos of Phogat, visibly exhausted and with chopped hair, struggling to cut weight through intense workouts and sauna sessions went viral.
Phogat was a prominent figure in a major protest in New Delhi last year against then-Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced accusations of sexual harassment—a case he denied. The protest, which saw Phogat and other athletes detained while trying to march to parliament, garnered widespread media attention.
Fellow protest leader and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Bajrang Punia praised Phogat on social media, saying, “You will always remain a winner for us. Apart from being India’s daughter, you are the pride of India.”
Another protest wrestler and Olympic bronze medallist, Sakshi Malik, said, “Every daughter has lost for whom you fought and won.”
Phogat, who had successfully passed the weigh-in on the first day, had an impressive performance by defeating four-time world and defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan with a late takedown. Despite intense efforts by Phogat and her team to shed the excess weight overnight, she was found overweight on the morning of the final.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his support for Phogat in a social media post, stating, “I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing.”
