Paris Olympics 2024 | 'Part of game': Vinesh Phogat breaks silence after her disqualification
Paris Olympics 2024: Wrestling star Vinesh Phogat has broken her silence following her painful disqualification from the Paris Olympics for weighing 100g more than the permitted limit in the women's 50kg category. "It's part of the game," Phogat told the Indian coaches who met her after she was hospitalised on Wednesday.
Women's national coach Virender Dahiya and Manjeet Rani met the wrestler.
"It sent shockwaves across the wrestling contingent. After the news broke, the girls were feeling fairly low. We met Vinesh and tried to console her. She was brave. She told us, 'It's hard luck that we missed the medal, but it's part of the game,'" Dahiya said.
Vinesh was hospitalised after fasting for more than 12 hours and engaging in strenuous jogging, skipping, and cycling in order to lose weight. The coaches tried to reduce Vinesh's weight by cutting her hair, and even "attempted to draw out blood."
Vinesh became weak and dehydrated as a result of the harsh measures. She was brought to a medical clinic inside the Olympic Village after feeling dizzy and losing consciousness for a short while.
IOA president PT Usha described Vinesh Phogat's disqualification as "very shocking," and stated that the team was giving Phogat "all medical and emotional support."
The Indian wrestler was disqualified after failing the weigh-in (which is mandatory for all wrestlers at the start of each match day) on Wednesday. Vinesh was just hours away from facing Sarah Hildebrandt of the United States for the historic gold medal in women's 50kg wrestling. She would have been India's first female wrestler to compete in the Olympic final.
- With inputs from agencies
