Vinesh Phogat is a renowned Indian professional wrestler who has made significant contributions to the sport. Hailing from a wrestling family, she followed in the footsteps of her illustrious cousins, Geeta and Babita Phogat.
Beyond her athletic achievements, Vinesh has shown immense courage in facing challenges. Her involvement in the protests against the Wrestling Federation of India is a testament to her character.
Vinesh Phogat faints at Paris Olympics venue due to dehydration, admitted to hospital
Source: Businesstoday.com
Key Highlights of Her Career:
- Multiple Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist: Vinesh clinched gold medals at the 2014, 2018, and 2022 Commonwealth Games.
- Asian Games Champion: She became the first Indian woman wrestler to win gold at the Asian Games in 2018.
- World Championships Bronze Medalist: Vinesh has two bronze medals from the World Wrestling Championships to her credit.
- Olympic Participant:
She represented India at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics. - Fighting Spirit: Vinesh has been at the forefront of the protests against the former Wrestling Federation of India president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who faced allegations of sexual misconduct.
Vinesh Phogat: A Tragic End to a Promising Campaign
Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics due to a mere 100 grams
Vinesh Phogat has announced her retirement from wrestling. This heartbreaking decision came after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024 due to weight issues.
Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification from the Paris Olympics due to a mere 100 grams overweight is a heartbreaking and shocking turn of events. It highlights the stringent weight regulations in wrestling and the immense pressure athletes face to meet these standards.
The Vinesh Phogat Controversy: A Deeper Dive
The disqualification of Vinesh Phogat due to a mere 100 grams weight discrepancy has ignited a fervent debate about the intricacies of wrestling regulations and the immense pressure on athletes.
Key Issues Raised:
- Rigidity of Weight Rules: The requirement to make weight on both days of the competition, with no tolerance, has been questioned.
- Human Error and Inconsistency: The potential for human error in such precise measurements has been highlighted.
- Athlete Welfare: The extreme weight cutting practices often employed by wrestlers to meet these strict standards have raised concerns about athlete health and safety.
- Fairness and Sportsmanship: The disqualification of an athlete so close to achieving a historic feat has sparked discussions about the spirit of sportsmanship.
Not ‘khota sikka’, gold standard Vinesh Phogat fights her way to Olympic glory
Also read: https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-wrestling-vinesh-phogat
Understanding the Rules That Led to Vinesh Phogat’s Disqualification
Vinesh’s journey to the Olympics was marked by incredible determination and hard work. Her disqualification is a painful reminder of the challenges athletes face, both physical and mental.
Key Points from the Competition Rules:
- Strict Weight Compliance: Wrestlers must meet the exact weight limit for their category on both days of the competition. There is no tolerance for being overweight.
- Severe Penalty: Failure to meet the weight requirement results in immediate disqualification from the competition.There is no provision for a lower medal position in such cases.
United World Wrestling (UWW) Regulations:
The UWW, the governing body for wrestling, enforces these stringent weight rules. Their regulations clearly state that athletes who miss the weigh-in or fail to meet the weight limit are eliminated from the competition and ranked last.
Essentially, the rules leave no room for error, and any deviation from the weight limit, no matter how small, leads to disqualification.
This incident has sparked a wider conversation about the fairness and potential impact of such strict rules on athletes’ physical and mental well-being.
The Weigh-In Process for Olympic Wrestling
The weigh-in process for Olympic wrestling is a crucial element that has come under scrutiny following Vinesh Phogat’s disqualification.
Key points about the weigh-in process:
- Weigh-in time: Wrestlers have to step on the scale every morning before their matches start.
- Time limit: They get 30 minutes to make weight on the first day. If they make it to the final round, they have a shorter time of 15 minutes to make weight again the next day.
- What to wear: They only wear their wrestling suit, no extra clothes.
- Quick check-up: Besides weighing them, doctors also take a quick look to make sure they’re healthy and their nails are short.
The strict adherence to these rules, especially the requirement to make weight on both days, has drawn criticism.It’s a high-pressure situation for athletes who must balance peak performance with weight management.
Vinesh Phogat had a tough time making weight.
Even though she made it on the first day, she gained about 2 kilos overnight. Imagine trying to lose that much weight in just one night! She tried running, jumping rope, and biking, but it wasn’t enough. In the end, she was just a tiny bit too heavy.
Vinesh Phogat made history!
She became the first Indian woman to reach the Olympic wrestling final. It was a huge deal! She beat some really tough wrestlers, including the world’s number one. Everyone was excited to see her in the gold medal match.
But sadly, because of the weight issue, she couldn’t compete in the final. It was a heartbreaking end to an amazing journey.