Explained: The rules that saw Vinesh Phogat disqualified

The world of professional wrestling is a realm where dreams are forged, reputations are built, and legacies are cemented. For Indian wrestling sensation Vinesh Phogat, the road to the 2024 Paris Olympics was paved with high expectations and a burning desire to etch her name in the history books. However, in a cruel twist of fate, Vinesh found herself at the center of a weighty controversy that would ultimately lead to her disqualification and the loss of a historic Olympic medal.

Vinesh Phogat faced the daunting task of making the 50kg weight class limit, a persistent challenge for the grappler. Despite her best efforts, on the morning of the event, Vinesh was found to be a mere 100-150 grams over the limit, a seemingly insignificant amount, but one that would ultimately seal her fate.

According to the stringent regulations set forth by the United World Wrestling (UWW), the governing body of the sport, any athlete who fails to meet the weight requirements during the weigh-in process is immediately disqualified from the competition. The rules state that in such cases, the wrestler is “eliminated from the competition and ranked last, without rank.” This meant that despite Vinesh’s exceptional performance in the earlier rounds, which had seen her defeat the reigning Olympic champion and four-time world champion Yu Susaki of Japan, her dreams of a historic gold medal were cruelly shattered, and she will not be eligible for a silver medal.

The UWW’s weigh-in rules are designed to ensure a level playing field and prevent any unfair advantages. According to the regulations, the weigh-in is conducted every morning of the competition, with a 30-minute window for the wrestlers to undergo the process. For the medal matches, a second weigh-in is required, this time lasting just 15 minutes. Wrestlers must appear in their singlets, with their fingernails trimmed short, and undergo a medical examination to ensure they are in perfect physical condition and free from any contagious diseases.

Vinesh’s disqualification was a devastating blow, not just for the wrestler herself, but for all of India and the entire Indian wrestling community, who had pinned their hopes on her making history. The prospect of seeing the first-ever Indian female wrestler reach the Olympic finals had captivated the nation, and her failure to make weight on the crucial day leaves a deep sense of anguish and disappointment.