Explained: How medals will be decided at Paris Olympics 2024 & what does weigh in rule say as Vinesh Phogat disqualified?

Published at :August 7, 2024 at 4:48 PM

Modified at :August 7, 2024 at 4:48 PM

(Courtesy : Getty Images)

Heartbreak for India as Vinesh Phogat disqualified hours ahead of her gold medal bout.

In a dramatic turn of events, India witnessed a heartbreaking update as ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50kg freestyle event, after being found around 100 grams overweight from the prescribed 50kg benchmark.

Phogat had a memorable outing yesterday at the wrestling arena as she took down the two-time Olympic gold medalist Yui Susaki, marking the Japanese’s first defeat in an international bout. After trailing by two points for the major part of the bout, the Indian finally made an aggressive attack at Susaki with just 10 seconds left on the clock and managed to succeed, picking up three points and proceeding to the quarters.

The 29-year-old went on to claim victories in her quarter-final and semi-final bouts to confirm at least a silver for India, with the possibility of the nation clinching her maiden gold medal in wrestling in Olympic history. Unfortunately, the hopes and aspirations of Phogat and a billion Indian fans were cut-short post the unfortunate development of her disqualification.

Who wins gold, silver and bronze?

According to the wrestling rules and regulations which had been prescribed ahead of the Paris Games, in the event of disqualification of a wrestler in the final, the final will take place against the semi-finalist who had been defeated by the disqualified player.

Hence, the final encounter will witness America’s Sarah Hildebrandt taking on Cuba’s Guzman Lopez, who had been beaten by Vinesh Phogat yesterday in the semi-final clash.

What’s the weight-in rule in wrestling?

The weigh-in process is crucial in wrestling and is strictly regulated under the International Wrestling Rules of United World Wrestling. Article 11 of the Competition Procedure outlines the specifics:

Weigh-In Timing: Wrestlers must weigh-in each morning for their relevant weight category. The initial weigh-in and medical control sessions last 30 minutes, while the second day’s weigh-in for those in repechage and finals last 15 minutes.
Eligibility: Wrestlers failing the weigh-in on either day are eliminated from the competition. No allowances are made for minor weight excesses.
Weigh-In Attire: Wrestlers must wear their singlet during weigh-ins, with no tolerance for the singlet’s weight.
Multiple Attempts: Wrestlers are allowed to step on the scale multiple times within the weigh-in period.
Medical Examination: Wrestlers must undergo a medical examination on the first morning of the competition. Without this, they are not permitted to weigh-in.

India’s Vinesh Phogat clearly breached the eligibility criteria, weighing around 100g more than the prescribed weight. Infact, in previous competitions, Phogat has always competed in the 53kg category and had to make the switch in order to participate in Paris.

“I will have to manage my weight a lot better. I have brought myself down to 50kg after so long, so I will try and maintain this as much as I can. It’s not easy for me not to put on weight because my muscle mass is high,” Vinesh told PTI in April, after securing the 50kg quota for India.

While Vinesh Phogat might not have won the medal, she has certainly won the hearts of over a billion Indian fans who are wishing her a speedy recovery. Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi too, took to social media, expressing his best wishes for the 29-year-old.

Vinesh, you are a champion among champions! 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…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 7, 2024

What could have been a day full of medals has started with the worst possible news for the country. It has indeed been a case of near-misses and heartbreaks. Currently, Phogat has been hospitalized due to dehydration after reportedly working out the entire night in a bid to meet the eligibility criteria.

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Explained: How medals will be decided at Paris Olympics 2024 & what does weigh in rule say as Vinesh Phogat disqualified?

Heartbreak for India as Vinesh Phogat disqualified hours ahead of her gold medal bout.

Who wins gold, silver and bronze?

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What’s the weight-in rule in wrestling?