New Delhi: Vinesh Phogat announced her retirement on Thursday after being unexpectedly disqualified from the gold medal match at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Taking to X, she wrote, “Wrestling won match against me, I lost... Forgive me, 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 all of you.”
She was disqualified from the event final and stripped of her medal because she was reportedly 100 grams overweight.
Phogat reached the gold medal match by defeating Cuba's Yusneylis Guzman Lopez 5-0 in the semi-finals on Tuesday night. She was supposed to compete against the United States' Sarah Ann Hildebrandt for the gold but was disqualified on Wednesday for exceeding the weight limit.
Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha expressed shock and disappointment over Phogat's disqualification. She confirmed Phogat is physically and medically fine but mentally disappointed. Usha noted that the support staff is working to help Phogat manage her weight.
Earlier, Dinshaw Pardiwala, Chief Medical Officer of the Indian Olympic team, said Phogat was 2.7 kg over the weight limit after her semi-final bout. Efforts were made to reduce her weight by limiting her food and water intake. Phogat also appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) after her disqualification on Wednesday.
Vinesh Phogat, one of India's top wrestlers, comes from a wrestling family. She is a three-time Olympian with three Commonwealth Games gold medals, two World Championships bronze medals, and one Asian Games gold. She was also the Asian champion in 2021.
She followed her cousins Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari into wrestling. Coming from a famous wrestling family, her uncle Mahavir Singh Phogat introduced her to the sport at a very young age.
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