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Vinesh Phogat lost her chance at a gold medal at the Paris Olympics after she measured over the maximum weight for the women’s 50-kilogram wrestling category final and was disqualified from competing.
Now, the famed Indian wrestler is calling it a career.
Phogat took to social media on August 7 to announce that her wrestling career had come to an end after she was disqualified from the gold medal match.
“Mom won the wrestling match against me, I lost. Forgive me, your dream, my courage is all broken, I don’t have any more strength now,” Phogat wrote in a translated post on X written in her native Hindi. “Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024 I will always be indebted to you all for forgiveness”
Sad Ending for Indian Wrestler
Phogat reached the gold-medal match in the women’s 50kg category after a difficult run that included wins against three champion wrestlers.
As Olympics.com noted, Phogat’s run at the Paris Olympics included wins against defending Olympic champion Yui Susaki of Japan, former European champion Oksana Livach of Ukraine and Pan American Games champion Yusneylis Guzman of Cuba.
But Phogat’s weight increased after three matches on Tuesday and efforts to bring her back down below the maximum competing weight were unsuccessful, NPR reported.
“We had tried all possible drastic measures throughout the night, including cutting off her hair, shortening her clothes,” said Dinshaw Pardiwala, chief medical doctor with the Indian Olympic Association.
The efforts were not enough to get Phogat to the qualifying weight, and officials determined that she would be disqualified. As USA Today reported, the disqualification meant that Phogat was moved to last place in the 16-person field.
Despite the heartbreaking setback, Phogat still had support from across her home country. Even Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a supportive message in a post on X.
“Vinesh, you are a champion among champions!” Modi wrote. “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 epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head on. Come back stronger! We are all rooting for you.”
Vinesh Phogat Leaves Behind Big Impact
Phogat had a storied career in wrestling before her disqualification in Paris, taking home gold three times at the Commonwealth Games and once at the Asian Games. She also earned bronze medals at the wrestling World Championships in 2019 and 2022.
Phogat also became known for her advocacy within the sport. As NPR reported, she spoke out against alleged abuse in her home country and took part in wrestler protests last year.
“Last summer, Phogat took on a prominent role in high-profile protests against sexual harassment, as she and other top wrestlers called for action against then-Member of Parliament Brij Bhushan Singh, an influential politician who was also once the president of the Wrestling Federation of India,” the report noted.
As ESPN India added, Vinesh returned two major awards — the Arjuna Award she received in 2016 and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2020 — during the wrestling protests that took place in 2023.
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