'How do we even recover from this, who to blame’: Billion heartbreaks after Vinesh Phogat's ouster from Paris Olympics
Chandigarh, August 7
Billion hearts broke down as news of Vinesh Phogat disqualification from the women's 50kg event at the Paris Olympics--after she weighed "a few grams over" the permissible limits on Wednesday morning--broke.
But support poured in with many saying that 'she may have been disqualified, but she remains a winner'. The news also sparked outrage among fans and athletes, with many questioning the circumstances surrounding her disqualification.
Vinesh Phogat, You may be disqualified, but you are already a winner. Of course, a medal would have been awesome, but your story is more awesome, and there is nothing that can take away from you.
Proud of you. 🇮🇳✊ pic.twitter.com/R4a3vT7TNO
— Narundar (@NarundarM) August 7, 2024
Vinesh Phogat didn't sleep whole night after reaching final & was working hard to shed extra 2 kg, but missed mark by 100 gram, is now hospitalized.
How do we even recover from this? This is probably the most cruel, shattering, heartbreaking incident in Indian Sports History 💔 pic.twitter.com/clsvak1mQR
— sohom (@AwaaraHoon) August 7, 2024
ये विनेश का नही भारत देश का अपमान है, #VineshPhogat पूरी दुनिया में इतिहास रचने जा रही थी, उनको मात्र 100 ग्राम ओवरवेट दिखाकर अयोग्य घोषित करना घोर अन्याय है। पूरा देश विनेश के साथ खड़ा है, Indian Olympic Association को इस फैसले के खिलाफ लड़ना चाहिए।#Phogat_Vinesh #विनेश_फोगाट… pic.twitter.com/w9hNzrNQlC
— Sukhdeo Bhagat (@sukhdeobhagat) August 7, 2024
Dear Vinesh Phogat 🇮🇳♥️
> We stood with you when you were lathi charged
> We stood with you when you reached olympic finals
> We stand with you today when you are Disqualified from competition
You were, You are and will always remain our hero. 100gm overweight can't judge… pic.twitter.com/OvjNEkokN8
— Amockxi FC (@Amockx2022) August 7, 2024
विनेश फोगट को अयोग्य घोषित कर दिया गया है और ओलिंपिक से बाहर हो गई हैं 🥺
50 kg weight category में 100 gm वजन ज्यादा होने के कारण
क्या ये एक फाइनलिस्ट के साथ इंसाफ है? 2024 ओलिंपिक बेईमानी की हद और घटियापन की पराकाष्ठा हैं 😡😡#Phogat_Vinesh#विनेश_फोगाट pic.twitter.com/8Cy5neDAMs
— Gagan Pratap 🇮🇳 (@GaganPratapMath) August 7, 2024
साजिश या संयोग
यह सब हो क्या रहा है 😭
देश के सिस्टम से लड़कर वहां तक पहुंची 😭
वहां भी.... Disqualified..
यह सब कैसे संभव है..
मुझे तो कुछ गडबड़ लगें रही है..#Phogat_Vinesh #Olympics #GOLD pic.twitter.com/6bhyvHrEXj
— Love Meena (@LK190819) August 7, 2024
One wrote: “Vinesh Phogat didn't sleep whole night after reaching final & was working hard to shed extra 2 kg, but missed mark by 100 gram, is now hospitalized. How do we even recover from this? This is probably the most cruel, shattering, heartbreaking incident in Indian Sports History”
Sources said the wrestler was roughly 100 grams over the permissible limits, which could lead to her disqualification. According to competition rules, Phogat would not be eligible even for a silver medal and the 50 kg will have just gold and bronze medal winners.
Although she made the weight for Tuesday’s bouts, but rules say wrestlers have to stay within their weight category on both days of the competition.
Vinesh on Tuesday became the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final of an Olympic Games after she defeated Cuba's Yusneylys Guzman 5-0 in the semifinal.
She started her campaign by stunning world No. 1, Japan's four-time World Champion and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Yui Susaki, who was undefeated in 95 international matches, in her entire career as a wrestler.
Vinesh then advanced to her maiden semifinals after beating Ukraine's Oksana Vasylivna Livach 7-5 in her second bout of the day.
A former World No.1 in 48kg, Vinesh was participating in her third Olympics. She missed out on a medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics because of an injury. She lost to Vanesa Kaladzinskaya in the 53kg quarterfinals in the Tokyo Olympics
Vinesh is also the first Indian woman to have won gold at both the Commonwealth and Asian Games.