Current:Home > ScamsIndian wrestler Vinesh Phogat abruptly retires after disqualification at Olympics -Keystone Capital Education
Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat abruptly retires after disqualification at Olympics
View
Date:2025-04-16 15:47:56
PARIS — The Indian wrestler who failed to make weight for her gold-medal bout at the 2024 Paris Olympics has abruptly retired.
Vinesh Phogat, who would have been India's first Olympic medalist in wrestling, announced in an emotional post on social media that she is walking away from the sport. The news came less than 24 hours after she had taken dramatic steps to lose weight, including cutting her hair, but came in about 0.2 pounds over the maximum allowed in her class.
In a message written in Hindi and posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, Phogat said goodbye to her wrestling career and also asked for forgiveness.
"Mother, wrestling won against me. I lost," she wrote in the post, according to a translation published by The Hindustan Times, an English-language newspaper based in Delhi.
"Your dreams and my courage are shattered. I don't have any more strength now."
2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.
Phogat, 29, is a three-time Olympian and one of India's best-known wrestlers, particularly after her public involvement in protests against the former top official of the country's wrestling federation, who had been accused of sexual harassment. She was one of several female wrestlers in India who had called for criminal charges to be levied against the official, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was ousted from his post last year.
Phogat won two bronze medals at world championships over the past five years plus an Asian Championship in 2021, all in the 53-kilogram weight class. In Paris, however, she dropped down to 50 kilograms − and her first day of competition could not have gone more smoothly.
Phogat started off Tuesday with a stunning upset of Yui Susaki, a Japanese wrestler who had never lost a match against an international opponent and won gold at the Tokyo Games without conceding a single point. She then squeaked by Oksana Livach of Ukraine and beat Yusneylys Guzmán of Cuba to qualify for the gold-medal match against American Sarah Hildebrandt.
At the end of that first day, however, Phogat's weight had increased by almost 6 pounds, according to Indian news reports. The Indian Olympic Association said she spent all night sweating in a sauna and working out, with restricted food and water, in an effort to get back down to 50 kilograms by Wednesday morning.
As a last resort, she even cut her hair. But it was not enough, and the IOA said she was later hospitalized for possible dehydration.
"After three tough matches against world class opponents, no athlete should have to spend the night preparing for a gold medal in this manner," NBC commentator and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs wrote on X.
Under international wrestling rules, Phogat was not just disqualified from the gold-medal bout but technically moved into last place in the 16-woman field. The situation prompted both widespread sympathy and furious outcry in India, with politicians publicly urging sports officials to challenge her disqualification.
United World Wrestling officials have told Indian news outlets that, essentially, there is nothing that can be done. Though several of those same outlets reported that Phogat had filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, asking a panel of arbitrators to award her a silver medal. A spokesperson for CAS did not immediately reply to an email seeking more information, but such an appeal appears unlikely to be successful.
Contributing: Reuters
Contact Tom Schad at [email protected] or on social media @Tom_Schad.
veryGood! (86958)
Related
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Florida House votes to loosen child labor laws a year after tougher immigrant employment law enacted
- The Best Red Outfits for February’s Big Football Game
- Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus and SZA are poised to win big at the Grammys. But will they?
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- No quick relief: Why Fed rate cuts won't make borrowing easier anytime soon
- Video shows bear cubs native to Alaska found wandering 3,614 miles away — in Florida
- Halle Bailey Reveals How She and Boyfriend DDG Picked Baby's Name
- Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
- Ground beef prices are up, shrimp prices are down. How to save on a Super Bowl party.
Ranking
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- 'Black joy is contagious': Happiness for Black Americans is abundant, but disparities persist
- Indiana lawmakers push ease child care regulations and incentivize industry’s workers
- Child’s body found in Colorado storage unit. Investigators want to make sure 2 other kids are safe
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- Satellite images show massive atmospheric river that is barreling over the West Coast
- Go Inside Botched Star Dr. Paul Nassif's Jaw-Dropping Bel-Air Mansion
- Watch: Pipeline explosion shoots flames 500 feet high, reportedly seen in three states
Recommendation
Paula Abdul settles lawsuit with former 'So You Think You Can Dance' co
A Tennessee teen has pleaded guilty in the slaying of a prominent United Methodist Church leader
Bruce Springsteen’s mother Adele Springsteen, a fan favorite who danced at his shows, dies at 98
New Jersey denies bulkhead for shore town with wrecked sand dunes
Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
Massachusetts Senate debates gun bill aimed at ghost guns and assault weapons
Mississippi House passes bill to legalize online sports betting
How to Grow Thicker, Fuller Hair, According to a Dermatologist