In a shocking turn of events, Indian wrestling sensation Vinesh Phogat has announced her retirement from the sport following a devastating disqualification from the women’s 50kg category at the Paris Olympics 2024. The 29-year-old, who has been a prominent figure in Indian wrestling, was disqualified just a day before her scheduled final bout against the United States’ Sarah Hildebrandt, after failing to meet the weight requirement by a mere 100 grams.
Phogat, a three-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist and a World Championship bronze medalist, took to social media platform X to express her anguish. “Mother wrestling won against me, I lost. Your dreams and my courage are shattered,” she wrote, announcing the end of her wrestling career that began in 2001. Her message continued with a heartfelt apology, “I don’t have any more strength now. Goodbye wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be indebted to you all. Sorry.”
Phogat’s disqualification has sparked widespread disappointment and empathy across the sports community. Videos of her intense efforts to shed the excess weight—showing her with cropped hair and exhausted, sunken eyes—surfaced online, further intensifying the emotional response to her retirement.
The disqualification came as a major blow not only to Phogat but to her supporters, especially given her remarkable journey to the final. On her way to the gold medal match, Phogat had stunned the reigning Olympic champion, Japan’s Yui Susaki, in a gripping 3-2 victory that highlighted her exceptional skill and determination. However, her inability to make the weight cut on the morning of the final, despite her and her team’s desperate overnight attempts through rigorous workouts and sauna sessions, resulted in the disqualification.
Sarah Hildebrandt went on to claim the gold medal, defeating Cuba’s Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who was given a second chance after losing to Phogat in the semi-final. Meanwhile, Phogat’s team has lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), arguing for a joint silver medal, given the exceptional circumstances of the disqualification. The CAS ruling is anticipated later today.
Phogat’s retirement marks a poignant moment in Indian sports, particularly because of her prominent role in leading a protest against the former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who was embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal last year. The protest, which saw Phogat and other athletes being detained while marching to parliament, gained significant attention and highlighted the issues of harassment and exploitation in Indian sports.
The wrestling community and sports personalities have expressed their support for Phogat. Fellow protest leader and Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Bajrang Punia tweeted, “You will always remain a winner for us… Apart from being India’s daughter, you are the pride of India.” Similarly, Olympic bronze medalist Sakshee Malikkh conveyed her sorrow, stating, “Every daughter has lost for whom you fought and won.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his deep sorrow over Phogat’s retirement, stating, “I wish words could express the sense of despair that I am experiencing.”
As Vinesh Phogat bids farewell to wrestling, her legacy as a trailblazer and a fighter both on and off the mat will continue to inspire generations of athletes.
