India’s Vinesh Phogat has been disqualified from the 50-kilogram Olympic wrestling final after failing to meet the weight limit on Wednesday. This has caused changes in the medal matches and required adjustments from the organizers.
Phogat had won against Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez in the semifinals on Tuesday, but her disqualification moved Guzman Lopez into the gold medal match on Wednesday night.
Phogat had a strong start at the Paris Games, surprising four-time world champion and defending Olympic gold medalist Yui Susaki of Japan in her first match on Tuesday. She won her first three matches to secure a place in the 50-kilogram final.
However, this will not happen now. Team India announced on social media Wednesday that Phogat is out.
“It is with regret that the Indian contingent shares news of the disqualification of Vinesh Phogat from the Women’s Wrestling 50kg class. Despite the best efforts by the team through the night, she weighed in a few grams over 50kg this morning,” the announcement said.
Phogat had been performing exceptionally well. After defeating top-seeded Susaki — who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics without giving up a point — she won her quarterfinal match against Ukraine’s Oksana Livach 7-5 and her semifinal against Guzman Lopez 5-0, making her the first Indian woman to reach an Olympic final.
